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Unifobm with the 

CHAMBER OF PEACE. 



The Changed Cross 

And Otheb Ueligiot^s Poems. Square 16mo, 
Cloth, gilt edges. $1.50. 

The Shadow of the Rock 

And Other REWGioas Poems. Square 16mo, 
Cloth, gilt edges. $1.50. 

THE CHANGED CROSS and SHADOW OF 

THE Rock. 

Printed with violet rules, and bound in one vol. 
Cloth gilt, $3.00. 



The Chamber of Peace 



AND 



OTHER RELIGIOUS POEMS. 



Selected and Edited 

By the Compiler of "THE CHANGED CROSS," 
" THE SHADOW OF THE KOCK," etc. 

n 

" The Pilgrim they laid in a large upper Chamber, facing 
the sunrising. 
" The name of the chamber was Peace." 

Bunyan^s Pilgritn's Progress. 



NEW YORK: 

ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & CO., 

770 BROADWAY, cor. qth Street, 



ir 







copyright, 1874, by 
Anson D. F. Randolph & Company. 



ROBERT RUTTER, 

BINDER, 

• 4 BEEKMAN STRE6T, N. Y. 



EDWARD 0. JENKINS, 
PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER, 
20 NORTH WILLIAM ST., N. r. 



PUBLISHER'S NOTE. 

This collection of Poems, selected and ar- 
ranged by the compiler of " The Changed 
Cross " and " The Shadow of the Rock," 
it is hoped will prove acceptable to those with 
whom the other volumes have so long been 
favorites. 

The Poems have been gathered from many 
sources ; largely from the newspaper and 
magazine ; and the names of the authors, so 
far as they could be ascertained, will be found 
in the Index. 

November, 1874. 



CARRARA. 

* 

A SHIP unlading, busy sea-brown hands 
Are lifting blocks of marble, one by one ; 
Quarried where fair Carrara's golden sands 
And purple hills lie sleeping in the sun. 

The workman earned his share of daily bread ; 
The merchant counted up his gains in gold ; 
" What unwrought statues there," the artist said, 
" What lines of beauty, rare and manifold ! 

" What grace and glory from these blocks shall spring ! 
What light shall clothe them in a little while ! 
This shapeless block, in beauty blossoming. 
Shall breathe high thoughts or wear an angel's smile." 

O Lives that in a martyr-army stand, 

May God's sweet message come to you and me. 

We are the marble, His the Sculptor-Hand 
That fashions us for all eternity. 

We only feel the pain His chastenings give ; 

The sharp incisions only can we see. 
And He alone, by whom we move and live, 

He sees the hidden glory that shall be. 

He sees the glory without spot or stain, 

The spiritual beauty all unpriced ; 
And in His love, He sends each stroke of pain 

To make us like our dear Lord Jesus Christ. 

O God of Love, give us calm pitying eyes 

And sweetest patience. Let us also see 
The glory and the grace that underlies 

Each shapeless mass that waits a touch from Thee. 



THE CHAMBER OF PEACE 



AND OTHER 



RELIGIOUS POEMS. 



THE CHAMBER OF PEACE. 

" The Pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, facing 
the sun-rising. The name of the chamber was Peace."— 
IJunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. 

AFTER the burden and heat of the day, 
The starry cahn of night ; 
After the rough and toilsome way, 
A sleep in the robe of white. 

O blessed Pilgrim ! we see thy face • 

As an angel's face might seem, 
For, lying pale in that shadowy place. 

Thou dreamest a golden dream. 

The stars are watching the sleeping saint. 

And lighting the sleeping brow ; 
But the light of the stars is cold and faint 

To the glory he dreameth now : 

I* (5) 



THE CHAMBER OF PEACE, 



For the things that are hid from waking eyes 

Shine clear to the veiled sight ; 
P'rom the chamber dim where the Pilgrim lies 

We can watch the fountains of lio-ht. 



'is' 



The journey is over, the fight is fought, 
He hath seen the Home of his love ; 

And the smile on the dreamer's face is caught 
From the land of smiles above. 



We also have sometimes lain asleep 
In the blessed Chamber of Peace ; 

Too weary to wrestle, or watch, or weep. 
For a while the struggle must cease — 

We give thanks for the weakness that makes 
us lie 

So helpless and calm for a while ; 
The roar of the battle goes hoarsely by. 

And we hear it, in dreams, w'th a smile. 

Oh, sweet is the slumber wherewith the King 

Hath caused the weary to rest ! 
For, sleeping, we hear the angels sing, 

We lean on the Master's breast. 

Thou hast another Chamber, dear Lord — ■ 

The secret place of peace. 
Where Thy precious ones are safely stored, 

When their weary wanderings cease : 



THE CHAMBER OF PEACE. 



After the burden and heat of the day, 

The starry cahii of night ; 
After the rough and toilsome way, 

A sleep in the robe of white. 

The sacred Chamber is still and wide. 

You listen in vain for a breath ; 
And pale lie the sleepers, side by side, 

In the cold moonlight of death. 

No sighs are heard in the shadowy place. 

No voices of them that weep ; 
They have fought the hght, and tinished the 
race — 

God giveth them rest in sleep. 

Are they dreaming, the sleepers pale and still ? 

For their faces are rapt and calm, 
As though they were treading the Holy Hill, 

And hearkening the angels' psalm : 

The things that were hid from waking eyes 

Shine clear to the veiled sight ; 
In the last deep sleep the Pilgrims rise, 

To walk on the shores of Light. 

Oh. sweet is the slumber wherewith the King 

Hath caused the weary to rest ! 
For, sleeping, they hear the angels sing. 

They lean on the Master's breast. 



g THE CHA MBER OF PEA CE. 

And sweet is the Chamber, silent and wide, 

Where lingers the holy smile 
Of a wayfaring Man, who turned aside 

To rest, long ago, for a while : 

He had suffered a sorrow which none may tell, 
He had purchased a Gift unpriced ; 

"When his work was over the moonlight fell 
On the sleeping face of Christ : 

The face of a Victor, dead and crowned. 

With a smile divinely fair : 
The saints and martyrs sleeping around 

Were stirred as He entered there : * 

His very Name is as ointment poured 

On the moonlight pale to-night ; 
And the Chamber is sweet to Thy servants, 
Lord, 

For the scent of Thy raiment white. 

The silent Chamber faceth the east, 

Faceth the dawn of the day, 
And the shining feet of our great High Priest 

Shall break through the shadows gray. 

* "And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the 
saints which slept arose." — Matt, xxvii. 52. 



TIRED. 

The g-olden dawn of the Day of God 
Shall smite on the sealed eyes ; 

The trumpet's sound shall thunder around. 
The dreamers shall wake and rise. 

The night is over, the sleep is slept, 

They are called from the shadowy place ; 

The Pilgrims stand in the glorious land, 
And gaze on the Master's face. 



TIRED. 

a nrAOES the road wind uphill all the way? 

I ) Yes, to the very end." 
So tired ! — I fain would rest. 
But, Lord, thou knowest best, 

I v/ait on Thee. 
I will toil on from day to day, 
Bearing my cross, and only pray 

To follow Thee. 

So tired : my friends are gone 
And I am left alone. 

And days are sad. 
Lord Jesus, Thou wilt bear my load 
Along this steep and weary road, 

And make me glad. 



lO 



TIRED, 



So tired : my heart is low, 
Shadows of coming- woe 

Around me fall. 
And memories of sins long wept 
And hopes denied that long have slept, 

Arise and call. 

So tired : yet I would work 

For Thee ! — Lord, hast Thou work 

Even for me ? 
Small things — which others, hurrying on 
In Thy blest service, swift and strong, 

Might never see ? 

So tired : yet 1 might reach 
A flower to cheer and teach 

Some sadder heart ; 
Or for parched lips perhaps might bring' 
One cup of water from the spring, 

Ere 1 depart. 

So tired : yet it were sweet 
Some faltering tender feet 

To help and guide, 
Thy little ones whose steps are slow, 
I should not weary them, I know, 

Nor roughly chide. 

So tired ! Lord, Thou wilt come 
To take me to my home, 

So long desired : 



IN THE EVENING. j j 



Only Thy grace and mercy send, 
That I may serve Thee to the end, 
Though I am tired. 



IN THE EVENING. 

ALL day the wind had howled along the 
leas, 
All day the wind had swept across the plain. 
All day on rustling grass and waving trees 

Had fallen " the useful trouble of the rain." 
All day beneath the low-hung dreary sky 
The dripping earth had cowered sullenly. 

At last the wind had sobbed itself to rest, 

At last to weary calmness sank the storm, 
A crimson line gleamed sudden in the west, 
. Where golden Hecks rose wavering into form. 
A hushed revival heralded the night, 
And with the evening time awoke the light. 

The rosy color flushed the long gray waves ; 

The rosy color tinged the mountains' brown ; 
And where the old church watched the village 
graves. 

Wooed to a passing blush the yew-trees' 

frown. 
Bird, beast, and llower, relenting nature knew, 
And one pale star rose shiunnering in the blue. 



J 2 SORROIV. 

So, to a life long crushed in heavy grief. 
So, to a path long darkened by despair. 

The slow sad hours bring touches of relief, 
Whispers of hope, and strength of trustful 
prayer. 

"Tarry his leisure," God of love and might, 

And with the evening time there will be light I 



SORROIV. 

UPON my lips she laid her touch divine, 
And merry speech and careless laughter 
died ; 
She fixed her melancholy eyes on mine. 
And would not be denied. 

I saw the west wind loose his cloudlets white. 

In flocks careering through the April sky ; 

I could not sing, though joy was at its height. 

For she stood silent by. 

I watched the lovely evening fade away — 

A mist was lightly drawn across the stars ; 
She broke my quiet dream — I heard her say, 
*' Behold your prison bars. 

" Earth's gladness shall not satisfy your soul. 
This beauty of the world in which you live ; 




SORROIV. 13 

The crowning grace that sanctifies the whole, 
That I alone can give." 

I heard, and shrunk away from her afraid, 

But still she held me, and would still abide, 

Youth's bounding pulses slackened and obeyed 

With slowly-ebbing tide. 

• 

" Look thou beyond the evening sky," she said, 
" Beyond the changing splendors of the day. 
Accept the pain, the weariness, the dread, 
Accept, and bid me stay." 

I turned, and clasped her close, with sudden 
strength. 
And slowly, sweetly, I became aware 
Within my arms God's angels stood at length, 
White-robed, and calm, and fair. 

And now I look beyond the evening star, 

Beyond the changing splendors of the day, 
Knowing the pain He sends more precious far, 
More beautiful than they. 



14 



NIGHT AND DAY, 



NIGHT AXD DA Y. 



THE day is Thine — 
The long-, bright summer daj'. 
From the first dawning hght till evening" closes, 
And all its merry birds and blooming roses, 
And all its golden beauty bid us say. 
The day, O Lord, is Thine. 

And life's brief day 
Is also Thine, when we 
Must work, while light doth last, for our dear 

Master. 
O that our sluggish feet could travel faster. 
And we with readier service give to Thee 
Our life's fast-lleeting dav 1 

The night is Thine — 
The long, dark winter's night, 
Hushing our birds to sleep, our flowers con- 
cealing ; 
But. by its hosts of glowing stars, revealing, 
Through the deep sky. Thy glory and Thy 
might. 

The night, O Lord, is Thine ! 

That darker night 
Is also Thine, O Lord, 
When Thou sweet sleep to Thv beloved givest ; 



"ZJIVA'c;, YET BEHOLD WE LITE.'' j- 

For while they needs must sleep. Thou ever 
livest. 
And o'er Thy dear ones keepest watch and 
wajd, 

Till darkness ends in light. 



"DYIXG, YET BEHOLD IVE LIVEr 

A SHIP, full laden, left her native port, 
To plough the waves, and seek another 
clime ; 
Her sails were set, and gallant ranks of men, 
If the wind failed, would with their oars keep 
time. 

Her port she left, but on a troubled main, 
Her every sinew, every nerve, she strained ; 

Yet wooed the breezes, spread her sails in vam— 
She sped not on her way, nor land she gained. 

Then rose the pilot : " Heed my words," he 
cried ; 

" Too many a weighty gift this ship ye gave ; 
Cast this and that away, and she shall ride 

Lightly, and unencumbered, o'er the wave." 

With niggard hand, reluctantly they drew 
Some tritles from her breast, and in the sea 

They one by one these secret treasures threw. 
And saw them sink in its mimensity. 



J 5 ''DYING, VET BEHOLD IVE LIVEr 

Yet Still, as if held back by leaden hands, 
The ship no progress made, and so once 
more, 
The pilot, working- her from off the sands, 
Made the same plaint his voice had made 
before. 

Then one by one her treasures left her deck. 

To be by yawning, briny jaws consumed, 
And 'mid fierce winds and storms, an empty 
wreck, 
Went staggering into port, condemned and 
doomed. 

And yet the pilot from the master won 

Plaudits and welcomes that his zeal repaid. 

For on his ear there fell the glad well-done, 
Who, faithful to his trust, no trust betrayed. 

Thus, O my soul, thy Pilot made thy way 
Straight to the haven where thou fain wouldst 
be ; 

Nor feared to rob thee, cut thy spars away. 
Knowing the INIastcr only cared for thee. 

For thee, dismantled, empty, good for naught. 
For thee, who unto him no treasure bore ; 

Then ride at anchor, tempest-tossed, distraught. 
For thou hast touched at an eternal shore ! 



MA TER DOL OROSA . _ ^ 



MATER DOLOROSA. 

BECAUSE of little low-laid heads all cov- 
ered 

With golden hair, 
Forevermore all fair young brows to me 

A halo wear : 
I kiss them reverently, — alas ! I know 
The stains I bear. 

Because of dear but close-shut holy eyes 
Of heaven's own blue, 

All little eyes do iill my own with tears, 
Whate'er their hue ; 

And motherly 1 gaze their innocent 
Clear depths into. 

Because of little pallid lips which once 

My name did call, 
No childish voice, in vain appeal, upon 

My ear doth fall. 
I count it all my joy their joys to share 

And sorrows small. 

Because of little dimpled, cherished hands 

Which folded lie, 
All little hands henceforth to me do have 

A pleading cry ; 
I clasp them as they were small wandering birds 

Lured home to tly. 
2* 



jg BEYOND, 

Because of little death-cold feet, for earth's 
Rcnigh roads luimeet, 

I'd journey leai;ues to sa^'e from sin or harm 
Such little feet ; 

And count the lowliest service done for them 
So sacred — sweet 1 



BE YO N D , 

BKVOND life's toils and cares, 
Its hopes and joys, its weariness and 
sorrow, •' 

Its sleepless nij^hts, its days of smiles and tears, 
Will be a loni^' sweet life, unmarked by years, 
One brii;ht, unending' morrow ! 

Beyond Time's troubled stream. 
Beyond the chilling' waves of death's dark river, 
Beyond life's lowering clouds and titful gleams, 
Its dark realities and brighter dreams — 

A beautiful forever. 

No aching hearts are there, 
No tear-dinuueil eye, no form by sickness 

wasted. 
No cheek grown pale through penury or care, 
No spirits crushed beneath the woes they bear, 

No sighs for bliss untasted. 



BEYOND. j^ 

No sad farewell is heard, 
No lonely wail for loving ones departed, 
No dark remorse is there o'er nnemorics stirred, 
No smile of scorn, no harsh or cruel word 

To grieve the broken-hearted". 

No long dark night is there, 
No light from sun or silvery moon is given ; 
But Christ, the Lamb of God, all bright and fair, 
Illumes the city with effulgence rare, 

The glorious light of heaven ! 

No mortal eye hath seen 
The glories of that land beyond that river, 
Its crystal lakes, its fields of living green. 
Its fadeless flowers, and the unchanging sheen 

Around the throne forever. 

Ear hath not heard the song 
Of rapturous praise within that shining portal ; 
No heart of man hath dreamed what joys belong 
To that redeemed and happy blood -washed 
throng, 

All glorious and immortal. 



20 



A LITTLE WAY. 



A LITTLE WAY. 

A LITTLE way— I know it is not far 
To that dear home where my beloved are ; 
And yet my faith grows weaker as I stand 
A poor, lone pilgrim in a dreary land, 
Where present pain the future bliss obscures. 
And still my heart sits, like a bird, upon 
The empty nest, and mourns its treasures gone ; 
Plumed for their Hight, 
And vanished quite. 
Ah, me ! where is the comfort ? — though I say 
They have but journeyed on a little way ! 

A little way — at times they seem so near. 
Their voices ever murmur at my ear ; 
To all my duties loving presence lend, 
And with sweet ministry my steps attend. 
And bring my soul the luxury of tears. 
'Twas here we met and parted company ; 
Why should their gain be such a grief to me ? 

This sense of loss ! 

This heavy cross ! 
Dear Saviour, take the burden off, I pray, 
And show me heaven is but — a little way. 

These sombre robes, these saddened faces, all 
The bitterness, the pain of death, recall ; 



THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA. 2 1 

Ah ! let me turn my face where'er I may, 
I see the traces of a sure decay ; 
And parting takes the marrow out of hfe. 
Secure in bliss, we hold the golden cham _ 
Which death, with scarce a warnmg. snaps in 
twain ; 
And nevermore 
Shall time restore 
The broken links ; 'twas only yesterday 
They vanished from our sight-a little way. 

A little way !— this sentence I repeat, 
Hoping and longing to extract some sweet 
To mingle with the bitter ; from Thy hand 
I take the cup I cannot understand, 
And in my weakness give myself to Thee I 
Although it seems so very, very far 
To that dear home where my beloved are, 
I know, I know 
It is not so ; 
Oh give me faith to feel it when 1 say 
That they are gone-gone but a little way ! 



THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA, 

rr^HE land beyond the sea ! 
X When will life's task be o'er ? 
When shall we reach that soft blue shore 



22 THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA. 



O'er the dark strait, whose billows foam and 
roar? 
When shall we come to thee, 
Calm land beyond the sea ? 

The land beyond the sea ! 

How close it often seems, 

When flushed with evening's peaceful gleams ; 

And the wistful heart looks o'er the strait and 
dreams ! 
It longs to fly to thee, 
Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea ! 

Sometimes distinct and near, 

It grows upon the eye and ear, 

And the gulf narrows to a thread-like mere ; 
We seem half way to thee, 
Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea I 
Sometimes across the strait, 
Like a draw-bridge to a castle gate, 
The slanting sunbeams lie, and seem to wait 
For us to pass to thee. 
Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea ! 
Oh, how the lapsing years. 



THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA. ^I 

'Mid our not unsubmissive tears, 

Have borne, now singly, now in fleets, the biers 
Of those we love, to thee. 
Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea ! 
How dark our present home ! 
By the dull beach and sullen foam 
How wearily, how drearily we roam. 

With arms outstretched to thee. 
Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea ! 

When will our toil be done ? 

Slow-footed years ! more swiftly run 

Into the gold of that unsetting sun ! 

Home-sick we are for thee, 

Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea ! 

Why fadest thou in light ? 

Why art thou better seen towards night ? 

Dear land ! look always plain, look always 
bright. 
That we may gaze on thee, 
Calm land beyond the sea ! 

The land beyond the sea I 
Sweet is thine endless rest. 



24 THE SECRE T. 

But sweeter far that Father's breast 
Upon thy shores eternally possessed 
For Jesus reigns o'er thee, 
Calm land beyond the sea ' 



THE SECRET. 

THE winds are raging o'er the upper ocean. 
And billows wild contend with angry roar. 
'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion, 
That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore. 

Far, far beneath, the noise of tempest dieth, 

And silver waves chime ever peacefully, 
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth, 
. Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea. 

So to the soul that knows Thy love, O Purest, 
There is a temple peaceful evermore ; 

And all the bubble of life's angry voices 
Die in hushed stillness at its sacred door. 

Far, far away the noise of passion dieth, 
And loving thoughts rise ever peacefully. 

And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he fiieth, 
Disturbs that deeper rest, O Lord, in Thee. 

O rest of rests ! O peace serene, eternal ! 

Thou ever livest, and thou changest never ! 
And in the secret of Thy prest-nce dwelleth 

Fullness of joy, forever and forever. 



^'HE BRINGETH UNTO THEIR HAVEN P 25 



''SO HE BRINGETH THEM UNTO 
THEIR DESIRED HAVEN." 

Psalm cvii. 30. 

^^ OjO !" — through storms and darkness, 
)0 Through great waters deep, 
Through the cloud whose black embraces 
Hidden sunbeams keep : 
So, He brings His chosen there 
To the Haven safe and fair ! 

" So I " — through fierce winds blowing. 
Through rough desert ways, 
Through long nights whose dreary darkness 
Reaches o'er the days : 
So, He brings them Home at last. 
Safe from every stormy blast ! 

" So / " — through cares and trials, 

Through temptations strong, 
Through dead hopes, whose joyous blossoms 
Have been waited long : 
So, He brings His chosen Home, 
Nevermore to sadly roam ! 

" So /" — by tears and longings. 
By the spirit's strife, 
By the hands outreaching vainly 
Toward this empty life : 



26 



THiTST. 



So, He brings tluMii Home to share 
In His perfect " liiilness " there I 

*' So/" — by small, slow ioolstcps, 
By the daily cross. 
By the heart's unspoken yearning, 
By its grief and U^ss : 
So, He brings them Home to rest 
\Vilh the victors, crowned and blest I 

** So / " — by scattered ruins, 

By sweet links unbound. 
By fair blossoms all unheeded, 

Trampled on the ground : 
S(>, He brings them Hchuc to Him, 
Where no cloud their joy can elini ! 

*' So / " — oh. weary pilgrim, 

'Tis the Master's wav, 
And it leadelh surely, surely. 
Unto endless day ! 
Doubt not, tear not — giadlv go ; 

"1 



He will bring thee heavcuwaril so/ 



T R U S T . 

I KNOW not if the dark or bright 
Shall be my lot ; 
If that wherein my hope delight 
Be best or mU. 



TRUST. 27 

It may be mine to drag for years 

Toil's heavy chain ; 
Or day and night niy meat be tears 

On bed of pain. 

Dear faces may surround my hearth 

With smiles and glee ; 
Or I may dwell alone, and mirth 

Be strange to me. 

My bark is wafted to the strand 

By breath divine, 
And on the helm there rests a hand 

Other than mine. 

One who has known in storms to sail, 

I have on board ; 
Above the raging of the gale 

I hear my Lord 

He holds me with the billow's might — 

I shall not fall ; 
If sharp, 'tis short ; if long, 'tis light ; 

He tempers all. 

Safe to the land — safe to the land. 

The end is this ; 
And then with Him go hand in hand 

Far into bliss. 



2 8 THE WILL OF GOD. 



THE WILL OF GOD. 

ALL i;i)rth but Gcxi's will 1 
The fairest garden llowcr 
Fades after its brief hour 
Of brij^htness. Still, 
This is but God's good-will. 

All goeth but God's will ! 
The brightest, dearest day, 
Doth swiftest pass away, 

And darkest night 

Succeeds the vision bright. 

But still strong-hearted be. 
Yea, though the night be drear- 
How sad and long soe'er 

Its gloom may be, 

This darkness, too, shall tlee. 

Weep not yon grave beside I 
Dear friends, he is not gone ; 
God's angels soon this stone 

Shall roll asiile. 

Yea, Death shall not abide I 

Earth's anguish, too, shall go, 
O then, be strong, my soul ! 
When sorrows o'er thee roll. 



'TIS ALT. THE SAME TO ME. 29 

Be still, and know 

'Tis (iod's will workclh so. 

Dear Lord and Cod, incline 
'J'hine ear unto my call ! 
O j^rant n\c that in all, 

Tliis will of mine 

May slill be one with Thine I 

Teach nne to answer still, 
Whate'cr my lot may be, 
To all thou sendest me, 

Of j^ood, or ill ; 

" All ^oelh as God will." 



'77.9 ALL 77//'; SAAfE TO ME. 

^ r\ ^IS ;dl llir same lo me — 

X Sorrow, and strife, and pining want, 
and i)a,in ! 
Whate'cr it is, it cometh all from Thee, 

And 'tis not mine to doubt Thee or complain. 

Tluni knowest what is best ; 

And who but Ihee, O God, hath power to 
know ? 
In Thy great will my trusting heart shall rest 

Beneath that will my humble head shall bow. 



-^O THE TJrO CITIES. 



Then what Thou pleasest send ; 

To order all my destiny is Thhie. 
With Thee, in all Thy jnirposes, to blend 

In unity of heart, let that be mine. 

No questions will I ask, 

Do what Thou wilt, my Father and my God ; 
Obedience is my consecrated task, 

Though Thou should 'st lead me where Thy 
martyrs trod. 

Alike, all pleases well, 

Since living faith hath made it understood — 
Within the shadcnvy folds of sorroiu dwell 

The seeds of life and everlasting good. 



THE TWO CITIES. 

ON the dusky shores of evening, stretched 
in shining peace it lies. 
City built of clouds and sunshine — wonder of 
the Western skies. 

While I watch and long for pinions, thither- 
ward to take my llight, 

Slow the .Trial city fadeth, and vanisheth from 
sight. 



THE TWO CITIES. 



31 



Ruby dome and silver temple, circling wall of 

amethyst, 
Fall in silence, leaving only purple ruin hung 

with mist. 

Darkness gathers, Eastward,Westward ; strong- 
er waxeth my desire, 

Reaching through celestial spaces, glittering 
as with rain of fire, 

To the city set with jasper, having twelve 

foundations fair. 
Flashing from their jeweled splendor every 

color soft and rare. 

Twelve in number are its gateways — numbered 

by the seer of old — 
Every gate a pearl most lustrous — and its 

streets are paved with gold. 

In the midst, in dazzling whiteness, lightens 

the eternal throne ; 
From it Hows the living water — round it gleams 

an emerald zone. 

Luscious fruits and balmy odors, healing leaves 

and cooling shade. 
Either side the life-tree sheddeth, by sweet 

storms of music swayed. 



32 THE TWO CITIES, 



O thou grand, iintempled city, seen by John in 

vision bright, 
Glory-flooded, needing neither sun by day nor 

moon by night. 

Filled forever and forever by the shining light 

of Him 
Who redeemed the world, and sitteth throned 

between the seraphim ! 

Through thy lovely gates the nations of the 

saved in triumph stream. 
Chanting praise above all praises — love of love 

their holy theme ! 

They no more shall thirst or hunger — they no 
more with heat shall faint ; 

Christ for tears will give them gladness — bliss- 
ful rest for sore complaint. 

" Blessed they who do His bidding !" cries the 

angel, day and night ; 
They shall find abundant entrance — they shall 

walk with Him in white ! 



HE KNOWETH ALL. 33 



HE KNOWETH ALL. 

He knoweth the way that I take."— Job xxiii. 10. 

THE twilight falls, the night is near, 
I fold my work away, 
And kneel to One who bends to hear 
The story of the day. 

The old, old story, yet I kneel 

To tell it at Thy call ; 
And cares grow lighter as I feel 

That Jesus knows them all. 

Yes, all ! The morning and the night, 

The joy, the grief, the loss. 
The roughened path, the sunbeam bright. 

The hourly thorn and cross. 

Thou knowest all— I lean my head ; 

My weary eyelids close ; 
Content and glad awhile to tread 

This path, since Jesus knows ! 

And He has loved me ! All my heart 
With answering love is stirred, 

And every anguished pain and smart 
Finds healing in the Word. 
3 



34 '^-^^'4 T THEN? 



So here I lay me down to rest, 
As nightly shadows fall, 

And lean confiding- on His breast 
Who knows and pities all ! 



WHAT THEN? 

WHAT then ? Why then another pilgrim 
song, 
And then a hush of rest, divinely granted ; 
And then a thirsty stage, (Ah, me, so long !) 
And then a brook, just where it most is 
wanted. 

What then ? The pitching of the evening tent ; 
And then, perchance, a pillow rough and 
thorny ; 
And then some sweet and tender message, sent 
To cheer the faint one for to-morrow's jour- 
ney. 

What then? The wailing of the midnight 
wind ; 
A feverish sleep, a heart oppressed and ach- 
ing; 
And then a little water-cruse to find 

Close by my pillow, ready for my waking. 



THE LOVED AND LOST, 35 

What then? I am not careful to inquire : 
I know there will be tears, and fears, and 
sorrow ; 

But then a loving Saviour drawing nigher, 
And snying, — I will answer for the morrow. 

What then? For all my sins. His pardoning 
grace ; 
For all my wants and woes, His loving-kind- 
ness ; 
For darkest shades, the shining of God's face. 
And Christ's own hand to lead me in my 
blindness. 

What then? A shadowy valley, lone and dim, 
And then a deep and darkly rolling river ; 

And then a flood of light, a seraph hymn, 
And God's own smile forever and forever ! 



iIjE loved and lost. 

a rr^llE love 1 and lost!" why do we call 
\_ them lost, 

Because we miss them from our onward 
road ? 
God's unseen angel o'er our pathway crossed, 
Looked on us all, and loving them the most. 
Straightway relieved them from life's weary 
load. 



36 THE LOVED AND LOST. 

They are not lost ; they are within the door 

That shuts out loss, and every hurtful thing — • 
With angels bright, and loved ones gone before, 
In their Redeemer's presence evermore, 
And God Himself their Lord, and Judge, and 
King. 

And this we. call a loss ; O selfish sorrow 
Of selfish hearts ! O we of little faith ! 
Let us look round, some argument to borrow 
Why we in patience should await the morrow 
That surely must succeed this night of death. 

Ay, look upon this dreary desert path. 

The thorns and thistles whereso'er we turn ; 
What trials and what tears, what wrongs and 

wrath. 
What struggles and what strife the journey 
hath ! 
They have escaped from these ; and lo ! we 
mourn. 

Ask the poor sailor, w^hen the wreck is done, 
Who with his treasure strove the shore to 
reach, 
While with the raging waves he battled on — 
Was it not joy, where every joy seemed gone, 
To see his loved ones landed on the beach ? 



THE LOVED AND LOST. 37 

A poor wayfarer, leading by th^ hand 
A little child, had halted by the well 

To wash from off her feet the clinging sand. 

And tell the tired boy of that bright land 
Where, this long journey past, they longed 
to dwell. 

When lo ! the Lord, who many mansions had, 
Drew near, and looked upon the suffermg 

twain, , . 

Then pitying spake, " Give me the little lad 
In strength renewed, and glorious beauty clad, 
ni bring him with me, when 1 come agam. 

Did she make answer selfishly and wrong- 
'•Nay, but the woes I feel, he too must 

Or rather, bursting into grateful song, 
She went her way rejoicing, and "ack strong 
To struggle on, since he was freed fiom care. 

We will do likewise ; death hath made no 

In love and sympathy, in hope and trust ; 
No outward sign or sound our ears can reach ; 
But there's an inward, spiritual ^^^f" 

That greets us still, though mortal tongues 
be dust. 



3$ HEAVIER THE CROSS. 

It bids US do the work that they laid down — 

Take up the song where they broke otT the 

strain ; 

So journeying" till we reach the heavenly town, 

Where are laid up our treasures and our crown, 

And our lost loved ones will be found again. 



H 



HEAVIER THE CROSS. 

[From the German.] 

EAVIER the cross, the nearer Heaven ; 
No cross without, no God within — 
Death, judgment from the heart are driven 
Amid the world's false glare and din. 
Oh ! happy he with all his loss, 
Whom God hath set beneath the cross. 

Heavier the cross, the better Christian ; 

This is the touch-stone God applies. 
How many a garden would be wasting, 
Unwet by showers from weeping eyes ! 
The gold by fire is purified ; 
The Christian is by trouble tried. 

Heavier the cross, the stronger faith ; 

The loaded palm strikes deeper root ; 
The vine-juice sweetly issueth 

\Vhen men have pressed the clustered fruit ; 



HEAVIER THE CROSS. 39 

And courage grows where clangers come, 
Like pearls beneath the salt sea foam. 

Heavier the cross, the heartier prayer ; 

The bru'sbd reeds most fragrant are ; 
If sky and wind were always fair, 
The sailor would not watch the star ; 

And David's psalms had ne'er been sung. 
If grief his heart had never wrung. 

Heavier the cross, the more aspiring ; 

From vales we climb to mountain crest ; 
The pilgrim of the desert tiring, 
Longs for the Canaan of his rest. 
The dove has here no rest in sight. 
And to the ark she wings her flight. 

Heavier the cross, the easier dying ; 

Death is a friendlier face to see ; 
To life's decay one bids defying. 
From life's distress one then is free. 
The cross sublimely lifts our faith 
To Him who triumphed over death. 

Thou crucified, the cross I carry, 
The longer, may it dearer be ; 
And lest I faint while here I tarry, 
Implant Thou such a heart in me 

That faith, hope, love, may llourish there, 
Till for the cross my crown 1 wear. 



40 SLEEP. 



"OXE OF THE SWEET OLD CHAP- 
TERSr 

ONE of the sweet old chapters 
After a day like this— 
The day brought tears and trouble. 
The evening brings no kiss. 

No rest in the aims I lonij for — 
Rest, and refuge, and home ; 

Grieved, and lonely, and \vear}% 
Unto the Book I come. 

One of the sweet old chapters — 
The love that blossoms through 

His care of the birds and lilies, 
Out in the meadow dew. 

His evening lies soft around them ; 

Their taith is simply to be. 
Oh, hushed by the tender lesson, 

My God, let me rest in Thee ! 



SLEEP. 

" So He giveth His beloved sleep." — Psalm cxxvii. a. 

HE sees when their footsteps falter, when 
their hearts grow weak and faint ; 
He marks when their strength is failing, and 
listens to each complaint ; 



SLEEP. 41 

He bids tlicm rest for a season, lor tin- path- 
way has thrown too stee]) ; 
And loldod in fair ^rccn pasluros, 

ilc givrth His loved ones sleep. 

Like weary and worn-out children, that sigh 

for the daylight's close, 
He knows that they oft are longing for home 

and its sweet repose ; 
So He calls them in from their labors ere the 

shadows around them creep, 
And silently watching o'er them. 

He giveth His loved ones sleep. 

He giveth it. oh ! so gently, as a mother will 

hush to rest 
The babe that she softly pillows so tenderly on 

her breast ; 
Forgotten are now the trials and sorrows that 

made them weep ; 
For with many a soothing promise 

He giveth His loved ones sleep. 

He giveth it ! I'riciuls the dearest can never 

this boon bestt)w ; 
But 1 le touches the drooping eyelids, and placid 

the features grow ; 



4 J THE GA THEHIXG HOME, 



Their foes may g-ather about them, and storms 

may round them sweep, 
But, guarding them safe from danger. 
He giveth His loved ones sleep. 

All dread of the distant future, all fears that 

oppressed to-day, 
Like mists, that clear in the sunlight, have 

noiselessly passed away ; 
Nor call, nor clamor can rouse them from 

slumbers so pure and deep, 
For only His voice can reach them 

Who giveth His loved ones sleep. 

Weep not that their toils are over, weep not 

that their race is run ; 
God grant we may rest as calmly when our 

work, like theirs, is done ! 
Till then we would yield with gladness our 

treasures to Him to keep. 
And rejoice in the sweet assurance, 

He giveth His loved ones sleep. 



THE GATHERIXG HOME. 

THEV are gathering homeward from eveiy 
land. 

One by one, 
As their wcaiy feet touch the shining strand, 
One bv one. 



THE GA TIlERrNC. HOME. 



43 



Their brows an* enclosed in ri jroUlen crown, 
'J'liL'ir tr.ivel-slaincd j^nrmcnts arc all iaici down, 
And clothed in white garments they rest on the 

mead, 
Where the Lamb dolh love I lis chosen to lead, 
One by one. 

Before they rest they [).iss lhrou;;h the strife. 

One by one. 
Through the waters of death they enter life, 

( )iu: by one. 
To some are the floods of the river still, 
As they ford on their way to the heavenly hill ; 
To others the waves run fiercely and wild, 
Yet they reach the home of the undefded, 

One by one. 

We, too, shall come to the river side, 

One by one. 
We are nearer its waters each eventide. 

One by one. 
We can hear the noise and dash of the stream 
Now, and again, through our life's deep dream ; 
Sometimes the Hoods all the banks overflow, 
Sometimes in ri|)|)les and small waves go, 

One by one. 

Jesus, Redeemer, we look unto Thee, 
One by one. 



44 OVER MV DEAD. 

We lift up our voices tremblingl}', 

One by one. 
The waves of the river are dark and cold, 
We know not the place where our feet may 

hold ; 
Thou who didst pass through in deep midnight, 
Strengthen us, send us the staff and the light. 

One by one. 

Plant Thou Thy feet beside as we tread, 

One by one. 
On Thee let us lean each drooping head. 

One by one. 
Let but Thy strong arm around us be twined, 
We shall cast our fears and cares to the wind, 
Saviour, Redeemer, with Thee full in view, 
Smilingly, gladsomely, shall we pass through. 

One by one. 



VER MY DEAD. 

""VyOW while Thy hand is on me, O my God, 
_L.>I Keep common thoughts apart : 
Let the full meaning of Thy heavy rod 
Sink in my inmost heart. 

I will not give my ej'^cs to dainty sight. 
Nor lips to dainty food. 



O VER M Y DBA D. 45 

Disdain, thou heaven-taught soul, these near 
delights, 

And make thy God thy good. 

Into Thy secret place, O Lord, I come, 
Awe-struck, but not afraid. 

My straying soul shall find herself at home 
Within that solemn shade. 

Nor worldly glare nor gloom assails my eyes 

In that serene abode ; 
The far-off sound of worldly tumult dies ; 

I hide myself in God. 

O Jesus ! Saviour, who from all the gloom 

Of mortal sin and strife, 
Didst pierce a doorway through the rocky tomb 

Straight into endless life : 

Hold Thou my hand ; I tread that rugged floor 
With these weak feet of clay ; 

My dead I follow, as they walk before 
Into eternal day. 

Set angel guards behind me ; roll the stone, 

And keep my spirit in ; 
Till I walk forth new-made, and not alone ; 

Nor lose what I have seen. 



46 GOING TO SLEEP. 

The lustre of Thy risen presence, Lord, 

Shall be my daily lig-ht : 
The steadfast hope of Thy approving word 

Shall guide my steps aright. 

Grant me the comforts of a soul forgiven, 
And wisdom, Lord, to see 

How mortal man lives on the verge of heaven. 
By living unto Thee. 



GOING TO SLEEP. 

OH ! come to the bedside in silence ; * 
Our mother is going to sleep ! 
We'll watch in the hush of the twihght, 
And praise God while we weep, 
While we weep. 

Her bright hair has long since been sih'ered. 
Our own has grown faded and gray ; 

There's no light 'neath her tremulous eyelids, 
And now she is passing away, 
Passing away. 

Oh ! the life-long love of a mother, 
Is a guerdon to guard and to keep ; 

And we'll cherish its memory closer, 
Now our mother is going to sleep, 
Going to sleep. 



THE OTHER SHORE. 



47 



From our childhood in beauty before us, 
On Jesus, her guide and her stay. 

She has leaned : and with calm eyes uplifted, 
She gave Him her hand night and day, 
Night and day. 

And while walking in dread and in darkness, 
Through the valley of fears and alarms. 

He encouraged her tottering footsteps. 
And now she falls into His arms. 
Into His arms. 

She hears His dear voice in the darkness, 

Oh ! let us all thankfully weep ; 
He has called her His " child," His " beloved," 

And now she has gone to sleep, 
Gone to sleep. 



THE OTHER SHORE. 

WHAT is it like— that other shore ? 
Straining my eyes, I can but see 
Skies aind ocean that evermore 

Embrace and hide the Beyond from me. 
Vainly I wish that an echoed note 

Of the song they sing on the other side, 
Over the waters to me may float, 
As I wistfully listen and turn aside. 



48 THE OTHER SHORE, 

My Father's house that I have not seen ! 

Little I care what its beauties are — 
Whether its fields are always green, 

Or the hills are golden that gleam afar ; — 
Only I know One waiteth there 

Whom my eyes have wearied long to see ; 
And the country must needs be wondrous fair 

Where Christ the Lord shall welcome me. 

What can I do, but watch all day 

Ripples that lazily lap the shore. 
The unconscious children at their play, 

While I sit waiting forevermore ? 
Waiting still at the water-side — 

When will the boatman come for me, 
And bear me off on the flowing tide 

To land where my best beloved be ? 

Nay, but my Father for me will send. 

When I have finished the task He gave ; 
When I have proved me His child and friend 

By the Christ-like spirit, meek, yet brave. 
Why should I list to the waves' sad sighs, 

Dreamily waiting for what delays ? 
Let me rather with strength arise. 

And work for Him the remaining days. 



''JiABES ALU'.l Y'S: 



49 



" BABES AL WA YSr 

9rPllS late — in my lone chamber, 

i. . Borne throii^^h the echoinji; hall, 
I h(\'ir the wind's hoarse sobbing, 

The rain-drops* plashing fall ; 
And the street-lamp, on the ceiling, 

Throws many a weird-like form — 
Tree-shadows, dancing wildly 

To the music of the storm. 

Called I my vigil lonely ? 

The door is still and fiist ; 
O'er threshold and o'er carpet 

No mortal foot has j)assed ; 
No rustle of white raiment 

Or warm breath stirs the air ; 
Yet I speak aloud my greeting — 

" My darlings ! are you there ? " 

Not the three who, by me kneeling, 

Said, " Our Father," hours ago ; 
Whose checks now dent their pillows — 

Live roses upon snow. 
They dream not of the graveyard 

And of the hillocks twain. 
Snow-heaped to-night (Lord, help me !) 

And dripping with the rain ! 
4 



50 



"BABES A Lir A vs. 



Twelve years ! — a manly stripling-, 

Our boy, by this had grown ! 
Is it four years, or twenty, 

Since I kissed the eyelids down 
Of her whose baby-sweetness 

Was a later gift from God, 
And straightened in the coffin 

Wee feet that never trod ? 

These are not strangers' glances 

That eagerly seek mine ; 
I know the loving straining 

Of the arms that round me twine. 
Thou hast kept them babes, O Father ! 

Who, not 'mid Heaven's bowers, 
Learning the speech of angels, 

Forget this home of ours ; 

Or her, who braved Death's anguish 

To win them to her breast. 
If thev tied into the sunshine — 

Free birds from narrow nest — 
They come to me when longing 

And pain are at their hciglit. 
To tell me of the safety, 

The love and the delight 

Of that eternal dwelling, 

(With our name upon the door !) 



'/ SHALL DIE alone:' 



51 



The ring- of haI)y-voices 
Shall j^ladden evermore ; 

Till, 'neath their tender soothing, 
I lift niy heart and smile, 

And j^ather faith and courage 
To bide my " little while." 



"/ SHALL DiR alone:' 

WIIKN the rich gold and puri)le of Life's 
sunset 
Lies in its beauty on the silent sea ; 
When on the shore I see the white-robed angel 
And hear his whisper, " God has called for 
thee,"— 

Eyes lit with love will watch me on the sea- 
shore. 
Warm human hands will fondly press my 
own ; 
But can I bear them with me on my journey 
Out through the dimness of the world un- 
known ? 

And this great beauty of the earth and heavens, 
The holy night whose glory fills my soul, 

The softened amethyst of fading twilight, 
The gleaming stars on night's emblazoned 
scroll, 



52 



THE NIGHT- IV A TCH. 



The rosy light of morning on the mountains, 
The tender purple of the distant sea — 

Things I love now, from henceforth all for- 
gotten ; 
What of their beauty can I bear with me ? 

" Alone, alone," sighed gentle-hearted Pascal, 
And yet I think that not alone we die ; 

Though all this earth is dimly fading from us, 
Are we alone if one kind Friend is nigh ? 

One who hath said, " Lo, I am with you always," 
The way-worn Man who sat by Galilee, 

Speaking good words and healing all the people, 
Who lived and died for love of you and me. 

O, not alone, for this our Friend and Brother, 
Though Heaven's great angels bov/ before 
His throne. 

Shall stand with us upon the silent sea-shore. 
His hand shall guide us to the world unknown. 



THE NIGHT-WATCH. 

" My meditation of Him shall be sweet." — Ps. civ. 34. 

O MEDITATION sweet that makes 
The midnight-watch an hour of rest. 
And brings, when fickle sleep forsakes, 
A holier calm to hearts oppressed ! 



THE NIGH T- WA TCH. 5 3 

Soft-speaking as to one so near 

That, kneeling, we might kiss his feet, 

The Name above all names most dear. 
Our erst-complaining lips repeat. 

Our griefs that Christ alone can guess. 
Our doubts that Christ alone can know. 

Flow out to meet His tenderness. 
In tearful confidences flow : 

For He who bore all sorrow, weighed. 
Nailed to His own each lesser cross ; 

He knows the burden on us laid. 
The secret pain, the hidden loss. 

Touched with our woes, He lifteth up 
The humblest follower in His train ; 

He maketh sweet the bitter cup, 
And death itself is blessed gain. 

Thus, in the lonely night, we learn 
To trust Him most as joys decrease, 

And, when our need is sorest, turn 
To hear His silence whisper, Peace ! 



54 



''THOUGH I BE NOTHING: 



LONGING FOR CHRIST. 

MY spirit longs for Thee 
Within my troubled breast, 
Although I am unworthy 
Of so Divine a Guest. 

Of so Divine a Guest 

Unworthy though I be, 
Yet has my heart no rest 

Unless it comes from Thee. 

Unless it comes from Thee, 

In vain I look around ; 
In all that I can see 

No rest is to be found. 

No rest is to be found 
But in Thy blessed love ; 

O let my wish be crowned, 
And send it from above. 



"THOUGH I BE NOTHING:' 

2 Cor. xii. II. 

MY Father, can I learn so hard a task ? 
" You must : no more, my child, of 
you I ask, 
Than He hath done — 
My well-beloved Son." 



''7 HOUGH I BE nothing:' 55 

Must I be nothing ? Must I nothing do ? 

" Nothing, my child ; Christ hath done all for you. 

You cannot buy, 

The price is far too high. 

Freely I give ; 

Only ' believe and live.' " 

Enough — give Thou the humble heart, and I 

consent ; 
Oh ! make me nothing, and therewith content. 
My gain is loss, 
My trust is in the Cross ; 
Hold me — I'm weak, I fall ; 
Be Thou mine All in All. 

Here give me, Lord, some quiet place 

Where I can work, and yet behold Thy face ; 

While Thou would'st have me stay. 

Keep my feet steadfast in Thy way ; 

They must not tire, 

Till Thou shalt bid me " Come up higher." 

I will be nothing still, 

That Christ alone my heaven of heavens may fill. 

Yet set me. Lord, a little, glowing gem 

Upon His diadem ; 

To shed my tiny ray 

Among the splendors of His crowning day ; 

Though unperceived, I still should like to shine, 

A tribute-glory on that brow divine. 



5 6 HYMN OF REST. 

And let me raise 

One little note of praise, 

Though scarcely heard among the myriad voices, 

When the redeemed Church above rejoices ; 

That it may blend 

With angel hallelujahs that ascend, 

A lowly offering to my Saviour-Friend. 

Lord, I am nothing ! Christ in all must shine : 

Do with me as thou wilt, for I am Thine. 



HYMN OF REST. 

COME, all ye weary, worn, and sin-defiled, 
The day of whose deliverance hath not 
smiled — 
Who toil on, sorrow-laden, sore distressed, 
Come unto Me, and I will give you rest ! 

Come, ye who seek, through all the world of sin, 
The precious treasure only found within ; 
Clasp your eternal jewel of the breast. 
Come unto Me, and I will give you rest ! 

Come, ye for whom the human love hath proved 
A longing to be infinitely loved. 
Whose hearts yet hover round some empty nest, 
Come unto Me, and I will give you rest ! 



''JF GOD SHALL BLESS ME SO." 



57 



Come, ye who suffer through the lone, long 

night. 
And grope for day with sad, tear-blinded sight ; 
I am the sun that sets not in the west, 
I bring you healing, and will bring you rest ! 

Come, all who bear the cross where I have trod ; 
Who climb the same ascent to get to God, 
Bowed down to see the prints My feet have 

pressed, 
Come unto me, and I will give you rest ! 

When the storms rise, and seas of trouble roll, 

I will be near to save the sinking soul ; 

Each wave that breaks shall lift, dilate your 

breast. 
And in their motion — I will give you rest ! 



''IF GOD SHALL BLESS ME SOr 

IN years long past, I said, " If God shall give 
Me certain blessings ; — cause my path to 
lead 
Through ways of comfort — grant me long to 
live, 
And strength sufficient for life's utmost need, 
Much joy shall surely through these channels 
flow ; 
If God shall bless me so, 



2 8 H yMN OF FA I TH. 

Friends, and fair honors, should He grant me 
these, 
Home-love, and children, and some skill to 
grasp 
From the rich world its opportunities — 

What more could heart desire, or full hands 
clasp ? 
Surely my life like some glad tune shall go, 
If God shall bless me so. 

But now I say, "If God shall grant me heaven ;" 
And so end there. If I at length shall come 

Into His presence who Himself hath given, 
All better gifts must lie in that vast sum. 

No good thing there shall be withheld, I know. 
If God shall bless me so. 



HYMN OF FAITH, 

TOSSING at night upon a stormy sea. 
What earthly help can now avail for thee ? 
How the frail boat, on which thy hopes are cast, 
Shivers and trembles in the rising blast. 

Lift up thine eyes ! Behold ! upon the wave. 
The Lord draws near, thy trembling life to 

save. 
He knows thy peril, though thy lips are dumb ; 
Across the water}'' waste He bids thee come. 



THE LA TTICE A T SUNRISE. 



59 



Cling to no frail supports that round thee float ; 
Arise, and quickly leave thy sinking boat : 
Strong in His strength, and in His courage 

brave. 
Stand thou upright upon the slippery wave. 

Think not how high the angry waters rise ; 
Think not that men will gaze with wondering 

eyes ; 
Think not it is thine own exalted power 
Upholds thy feet upon that treacherous floor. 

But fix thine eye upon that face divine ; 

Take the kind hand so gladly stretched for 

thine ; 
Let not thy clear faith waver nor grow dim : 
So on the water shalt thou walk to Him. 



THE LATTICE AT SUNRISE. 

AS on my bed at dawn I mused and prayed, 
I saw my lattice prankt upon the wall. 
The flaunting leaves and flitting birds withal : 
A sunny phantom interlaced with shade ; 
" Thanks be to heaven," in happy mood I said, 

" What sweeter aid my matins could befall 
Than this fair glory from the East hath made ? 
What holy sleights hath God the Lord of all, 



6o GOOD-BYE. 



To bid us feel and see ? We are not free 
To say we see not, for the glory comes 

Nightly and daily, like the flowing sea ; 

His lustre pierceth through the midnight 
glooms ; 

And at prime hour, behold ! He follows me 
With golden shadows to my secret rooms !" 



GO D-B YE. 

/~^ OOD-BYE, good-bye, it is the sweetest 
\Or blessing 

That falls from mortal lips on mortal ear, 
The weakness of our human love confessing, 

The promise that a love more strong is near — 
May God be with you ! 

Why do we say it when the tears are starting ? 

Why must a word so sweet bring only pain ? 
Our love seems all-sufticient till the parting, 

And then we feel it impotent and vain — 
May God be with you ! 

Oh, may He guide, and bless, and keep you 
ever, 
He who is strong to battle with your foes ; 
Whoever fails, His love can fail you never, 
And all you need He in His wisdom knows — 
May God be with you ! 



I AM HIS A ND HE IS MINE. 6 1 



Better than earthly presence, e'en the clearest. 
Is the great blessing that our partings bring ; 
For in the loneliest moments God is nearest. 
And from our sorrows heavenly comforts 
spring, 

If God be with us. 

Good-bye, good-bye,with latest breath we say it, 
A legacy of hope, and faith, and love ; 

Parting must come, we cannot long delay it. 
But, one in Him, we hope to meet above, 
If God be with us. 

Good-bye — 'tis all we have for one another ; 
Our love, more strong than death, is helpless 
still. 
For none can take the burden from his brother, 
Or shield, except by prayer, from any ill — 
May God be with you ! 



/ AM HIS AND HE IS MINE. 

IONG did I toil, and knew no earthly rest ; 
Ji Far did I rove, and found no certain 
home ; 
At last I sought them in His shelt'ring breast. 
Who spreads His arms and bids the weary 
come. 



62 f AM HIS A ND HE IS MINE. 



With Him I found a home, a rest divine ; 
And I since then am His and He is mine. 

Yes, He is mine ! and naught of earthly things, 
Not all the charms of pleasure, wealth, or 
power. 
The fame of heroes, or the pomp of kings, 

Could tempt me to forego His love an hour. 
"Go, worthless world," 1 cry, "with all that's 

thine ; 
Go ! I my Saviour's am, and He is mine." 

The good I have is from His store supplied ; 

The ill is only what He deems the best ; 
With Him my Friend, I'm rich with naught 
beside, 
And poor without Him, though of all pos- 
sessed. 
Changes may come — I take or I resign — 
Content while I am His and He is mine. 

Whate'er may change, in Him no change is 
seen : 

A glorious Sun that wanes not "nor declines ; 
Above the clouds and storms He walks serene, 

And sweetly on His people's darkness shines. 
All may depart — I fret not, nor repine, 
While I my Saviour's am, and He is mine. 



TIRED MOTHERS, 



63 



He stays me falling"; lifts 1110 up when down ; 

RecUiinis me wandering ; guards from every 
foe ; 
riants on my worthless brow the victor's crown, 

Which, in return, before His feet 1 throw, 
Cirieved that I cannot better grace His shrine, 
Who deigns to own me His, as He is mine. 

While here, alas ! I know but half 1 lis love, 
But half discern Him, and but half adore ; 

But when I meet Him in the realms above, 
1 hope to love Him better, praise Him more, 

And leel and tell, amid the choir divine, 

How fully I am His and He is mine. 



TIRED MOTHERS. 

Al 1 TTLE elbow leans upon your knee — 
Your tired knee that has so much to 
bear ; 
A child's dear eyes are looking lovingly 

From underneath a thatch of tangled hair. 
Perhaps you do not heed the velvet touch 
Of warm, moist fmgers, folding yours so 
tight ; 
You do not ])rize this blessing overmuch — 
You almost are too tired to pray to-night. 



6.4 TIRED MOTHERS. 

But it is a blessedness. A year ago 

I did not see it as I do to-day — 
We are so dull and thankless, and too slow 

To catch the sunshine till it slips away. 
And now it seems surpassing strange to me 

That, while I wore the badge of motherhood, 
I did not kiss more oft and tenderly 

The Httle child that brought me only good. 

And if, some night, when you sit down to rest, 

You miss this elbow from your tired knee, 
This restless, curling head from off your breast. 

This lisping tongue that chatters constantly ; 
If from your own the dimpled hands had slipped. 

And ne'er would nestle in your palm again ; 
If the white feet into the grave had tripped, 

I could not blame you for your heartache then. 

I wonder so that mothers ever fret 

At little children clinging to their gown ; 
Or that the footprints, when the days are wet, 

Are ever black enough to make them frown. 
If I could find a little muddy boot. 

Or cap, or jacket on my chamber floor ; 
If I could kiss a rosy, restless foot, 

And hear its patter in my home once more. 

If I could mend a broken cart to-day. 

To-morrow make a kite to reach the sky — 



BEST. 65 

There is no woman in God's world could say 
She was more blissfully content than I. 

But ah 1 the dainty pillow next my own 
Is never rumpled by a shining head ; 

My singing birdling from its nest is flown ; 
The little boy I used to kiss is dead. 



BEST. 

MOTHER, I see you with your nursery 
light, 
Leading your babies, all in white, 
To their sweet rest : 
Christ, the Good Shepherd, carries mine to- 
night, 

And that is best ! 

I cannot help tears, when I see them twine 
Their fingers in yours, and their bright curls 
shine 

On your warm breast ; 
But the Saviour's is purer than yours or mine— 
He can love best ! 

You tremble each hour because your arms 
Are weak ; your heart is wrung with alarms. 

And sore opprest ; 
My darlings are safe, out of reach of harms, 

And that is best ! 

5 



66 BEST. 

You know over yours may hang even now 
Pain and disease, whose fulfilling slow 

Naught can arrest ; 
Mine in God's gardens run to and fro, 

And that is best ! 

You know that of yours the feeblest one 
And dearest, may live long years alone. 

Unloved, unblest ; 
Mine are cherished of saints around God's 
throne, 

And that is best ! 

You must dread for yours the crime that sears. 
Dark guilt unwashed by repentant tears. 

And unconfessed ; 
Mine entered spotless on eternal years. 

Oh, how ifiuch the best 1 

But grief is selfish, and I cannot see 
Always why I should so stricken be. 

More than the rest ; 
But I know that, as well as for them, for me 

God did the best I 



"/r IS I : BE NOT AFRAIOr 67 



"/r IS I; BE NOT AFRAID!' 

"And He said, Come." 

LORD, it is Thou ! and I can walk 
Upon the heaving sea, 
Firm in a vexed, unquiet way, 

Because I come to Thee. 
If Thou art all I hope to gain. 

And all I fear to miss, 
There is a highway for my heart 
Through rougher seas than this. 

And step by step on even ground 

My trembling foot shall fall, 
Led by Thy calm, inviting voice, 

Thou Lord and Heir of all. 
The very thing I cannot bear, 

And have not power to do, 
I hail the grace that could prepare 

For me to carry through. 

These waters would not hold me up 

If Thou wert not my end ; 
But whom Thou callest to Thyself 

Even winds and waves defend. 
Our very perils shut us in 

To Thy supporting care ; 
We venture on the awful deep, 

And find our courage there. 



68 J^A TCHt 



Oh, there are heavenly heights to reach 

In many a fearful place, 
Where the poor timid heir of God 

Lies blindly on his face ; 
Lies languishing for life divine 

That he shall never see 
Till he go forward at Thy sign. 

And trust himself to Thee. 

Forth from some narrow, frail defense, 

Some rest, Thyself below, 
Some poor content with less than all. 

My soul is called to go. 
Yes, I will come ! I will not wait 

An outward calm to see, 
And, O my glory, be Thou great 

Even in the midst of me. 



W A T C H ! 

Matt. xxiv. 42. 

a "V'TT'ATCH ! for ye know not the hour," 

V V When Christ your Lord shall come ; 
Come, with tender impatience, 

To take His chosen home ; 
Home to " the place" He has made them, 

Of beauty untold above ; 
Home to the house of the Father, 

Home to His glory and love ! 



IVA TCH t 



69 



" Watch ! for ye know not the hour ! " 

It may be He stands at the door : 
It may be but a moment, 

And your care and sin are o'er ; 
It may be His hand is lifted, 

Even this moment, to knock ; 
Are you waiting, are you watching. 

With your hand upon the lock ? 

" Watch ! for ye know not the hour ! '* 

Suppose that He should come. 
And find that you were not watching, 

Or thinking of going home : 
With all the house ungarnished. 

And all the lights grown dim ; 
Suppose He should knock unheeded, 

And no welcome ready for Him ! 

" Watch ! for ye know not the hour ! " 

I am waiting, Lord, to catch 
The first sound of Thy footfall. 

With my hand upon the latch ; 
I am waiting, O blessed Jesus, 

For the sound of Thy longed-for knock ; 
Then, with an eager welcome, 

Quick I shall turn the lock. 

O glad, O blessed hour ! 
It draweth on apace, 



7 O *Tn '/£ L NO T BE L ONG I 

When my glorious Lord shall enter, 

And I shall " see His face ;" 
And well do I remember. 

That He calls those servants blest. 
Who are found by their Master watching. 

What words can tell the rest ? 



T 



'TWILL XOT BE LONG I 

WILL not be long — this weaning com- 
motion 

That marks its passage in the human breast. 
And, like the billows on the heaving ocean. 

That ever rock the cradle of unrest, 
Will soon subside ; the happy time is nearing, 
When bliss, not pain, shall have its rich in- 
crease ; 
E'en unto thee the dove may now be steering 
With gracious message. Wait, and hold thy 
peace ; 

'Twill not be long ! 

The lamps go out : the stars give up their shin- 
ing: 
The world is lost in darkness for a while ; 

And foolish hearts give way to sad repining, 
And feel as though they ne'er again could 
smile. 



* TWILL NOT BE LONG I 



71 



Why murmur thus, the needful lesson scorning ? 

Oh, read thy Teacher and His word aright. 
The world would have no greeting" for the morn- 

If 'twere not for the darkness of the night ; 
'Twill not be long ! 

'Twill not be long ; the strife will soon be 
ended ; 

The doubts, the fears, the agony, the pain 
Will seem but as the clouds that low descended, 

To yield their pleasure to the parched plain. 
The times of weakness and of sore temptations, 

Of bitter grief and agonizing cry ; 
These earthly cares and ceaseless tribulations 

Will bring a blissful harvest by and by. 
'Twill not be long ! 

'Twill not be long ; the eye of faith discerning 

The wondrous glory that shall be revealed. 
Instructs the soul, that every day is learning 
The better wisdom which the world con- 
cealed. 
Ahd soon, aye, soon, there'll be an end of 
teaching. 
When mortal vision finds immortal sight, 
And her true place the soul in gladness reach- 
ing, 
Beholds the glory of the Infinite. 
'Twill not be long ! 



72 HEREAFTER, 

" 'Twill not be long !" the heart goes on re- 
peating ; 
It is the burden of the mourner's song ; 
The work of grace in us He is completing, 

Who thus assures us — " It will not be long," 
His rod and staff our fainting steps sustain- 
ing, 
Our hope and comfort every day will be ; 
And we may bear our cross as uncomplaining 
As He who leads us unto Calvary. 
'Twill not be long ! 



HEREAFTER, 

"XT'OT from the flowers of earth, 
_1_N Not from the stars, 
Not from the voicing sea. 

May we 
The secret wrest which bars 
Our knowledge here, 
Of all we hope and all that we may fear 

Hereafter. 

We watch beside our graves, 

Yet meet no sign 
Of where our dear ones dwell. 
Ah ! well, 



ON RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS. 



73 



Even now, your dead and mine 
May long to speak 
Of raptures it were wiser we should seek 

Hereafter. 

Oh, hearts we fondly love ! 

Oh, pallid lips 
That bore our farewell kiss 

From this 
To yonder world's eclipse ! 
Do ye, safe home. 
Smile at your earthly doubts of what would come 

Hereafter ? 

Grand birthright of the soul, 

Naught may despoil ! 
Oh, precious, healing balm. 

To calm 
Our lives in pain and toil ! 
God's boon, that we 
Or soon or late shall know what is to be 

Hereafter. 



WRITTEN ON RECOVERY FROM 
ILLNESS. 

"Not my will, but Thine be done." — Luke xxii. 42. 

IT is Thy will, my Lord, my God ! 
And I, whose feet so lately trod 
The margin of the tomb, 



74 ON RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS. 

Must now retrace my weary way, 
And in this land of exile stay, 
Far from my heavenly home. 

It is Thy will ; — and this, to me, 
A check to every thought shall be. 

Which else might dare rebel ; 
Those sacred words contain a balm, 
Each sad regret to soothe and calm. 

Each murmuring thought to quell. 

It is Thy will ; — that will be done ! 
To Thee the fittest time is known, 

When, by Thy grace made meet, 
My longing soul shall soar away, 
And leave her prison-house of clay. 

To worship at Thy feet. 

It is Thy will ; — and must be mine, 
Though here, far off from Thee, I pine, 

And find no place of rest ; 
When shall the poor bewildered dove, 
Now o'er the waters doomed to rove. 

Be sheltered in Thy breast ? 

It is Thy will ; — and now anew 
Let me my earthly path pursue. 
With one determined aim — 



THE HARDEST TIME OF ALL. 



75 



To Thee, to consecrate each power. 
To Thee, to dedicate each hour, 
And glorify Thy name. 

It is Thy will ; — I seek no more : 

Yet, if I cast towards that bright shore, 

A longing, tearful eye, 
It is because, when landed there, 
Sin will no more my heart ensnare. 

Nor Satan e'er draw nigh. 



THE HARDEST TIME OF ALL. 

THERE are days of deepest sorrow 
In the season of our life ; 
There are wild, despairing moments. 

There are hours of mental strife, 
There are times of stony anguish. 

When the tears refuse to fall ; 
But the waiting time, my brothers, 
Is the hardest time of all. 

Youth and love are oft impatient, 

Seeking things beyond their reach ; 
And the heart grows sick with hoping. 

Ere it learns what life can teach. 
For, before the fruit be gathered. 

We must see the blossoms fall ; 
And the waiting time, my brothers. 

Is the hardest time of all. 



J 6 THE HARDEST TIME OF ALL. 

Loving once, and loving ever, 

It is sad to watch for years 
For the light whose fitful shining 

Makes a rainbow of our tears. 
It is sad to count at morning 

All the hours to evenfall ; 
Oh, the waiting time, my brothers, 

Is the hardest time of all ! 

We can bear the heat of conflict. 

Though the sudden crushing blow, 
Beating back our gathered forces. 

For a moment lay us low. 
We may rise again beneath it, 

None the weaker for our fall ; 
But the waiting time, my brothers, 

Is the hardest time of all. 

For it wears the eager spirit, 

As the salt waves wear the stone, 
And Hope's gorgeous garb grows threadbare. 

Till its brightest tints are gone. 
Then, amid youth's radiant tresses, 

Silent snows begin to fall ; 
Oh, the waiting time, my brothers, 

Is the hardest time of all ! 

Yet at last we learn the lesson. 
That God knoweth what is best. 



'^ FOLLOW me:' 77 



And a silent resignation 

Makes the spirit calm and blest ; 
For, perchance, a day is coming. 

For the changes of our fate. 
When our hearts will thank Him meekly 

That He taught us how to wait. 



''FOLLOW ME." 

THE Master's voice was sweet— 
" I give My life for thee ; 
Bear thou this cross through pain and loss, 

Arise and follow Me." 
I clasped it in my hands,^ 

Thou that died for me, 

The day is bright, my step is light, 
'Tis sweet to follow Thee. 

Through the long summer day 

1 followed lovingly ; 

'Twas bliss to hear His voice so near, 

His glorious face to see. 
Down where the lilies pale 

Fringed the bright river's brim, 
In pastures green. His steps were seen ; 

'Twas sweet to follow Him. 

Oh, sweet to follow Him ! 
" Lord, let us here abide." 



78 



^'FOLLOW ME. 



The flowers were fair, I lingered there, 

I laid His cross aside. 
I saw His face no more 

By that bright river's brim ; 
Before me lay the desert way, 

'Twas hard to follow Him. 

Yes, hard to follow Him 

Into that dreary land ; 
I was alone — His cross had grown 

Too heavy for my hand. 
I heard His voice afar 

Sound through the night air chill ; 
My tired feet refused to meet 

His coming o'er the hill. 

My Master's voice was sad — • 

" I gave My life for thee, 
I bore the cross through pain and loss, 

Thou hast not followed Me." 
So fair the lilied banks. 

So bleak the desert way — 
The night was dark, I could not mark 

Where Thy blest footsteps lay. 

Fairer the lilied banks, 

Softer the glassy lea, 
The endless rest of them who best 

Have learned to follow Me. 



PEACE. Jg 

Canst thou not follow Me, 

All weary as thou art ? 
Hath patient love no power to move 

Thy slow and faithless heart ? 
Wilt thou not follow Me ? 

These weary feet of Mine 
Have stained red the pathway dread, 

In searching for thee and thine. 

Lord ! O Love Divine ! 
Once more I follov/ Thee ; 

Let me abide so near Thy side, 
That I Thy face may see. 

1 clasp Thy pierced hand, 
Oh, Thou that died for me ! 

I'll bear Thy cross through pain and loss. 
So I may cling to Thee. 



PEA C E . 

IS this the peace of God, this strange, sweet 
calm ? 
The weary day is at its zenith still, 
Yet 'tis as if beside some cool clear rill, 
Through shadowy stillness rose an evening 

psalm, 
And all the noise of life were hushed away, 
And tranquil gladness reigned with gently 
soothing sway. 



So PEACE. 

It was not so just now. I turned aside 

With aching head, and heart most sorely 

bowed ; 
Around me cares and griefs in crushing 
crowd ; 
While inly rose the sense, in swelling tide, 
Of weakness, insufficiency, and sin. 
And fear, and gloom, and doubt in mighty 
flood rolled in. 

That rushing flood I had no power to meet, 
Nor strength to flee : my present future past, 
My self, my sorrow, and my sin, I cast 

In utter helplessness at Jesus' feet : 

Then bent before the storm, if such His will. 

He saw the winds and waves, and whispered, 
" Peace, be still !" 

And there was calm I O Sa\iour, I have proved 
That Thou to help and save art truly near ; 
How else this quiet rest from grief and fear, 
And all distress ? The cross is not removed, 
I must go forth to bear it as before, 
But leaning on Thine arm, I dread its weight 
no more. 

Is it, indeed. Thy peace ? I have not tried 
To analyze my faith, dissect my trust. 
Or measure if belief be full and just. 



A HYMN. 8l 



And, therefore, claim Thy peace. But Thou 

hast died. 
I know that this is true, and true for me. 
And, knowing it, I come, and cast my all on 

Thee. 

It is not that I feel less weak, but Thou 
Wilt be my strength ; it is not that I see 
Less sin ; but more of pardoning love in 
Thee, 
And all-sufficient grace. Enough ! And now 
All fluttering thought is stilled ; I only rest. 
And feel that Thou art near, and know that I 
am blessed. 



A HYMN 

I CANNOT think but God must know 
About the thing I long for so ; 
I know He is so good, so kind, 
I cannot think but He will find 
Some way to help, some way to show 
Me to the thing I long for so. 

I stretch my hand — it lies so near : 
It looks so sweet, it looks so dear. 
" Dear Lord," I pray, " Oh, let me know 
If it is wrong to want it so ? " 
6 



82 NONE OR ALL. 



He only smiles — He does not speak : 
My heart grows weaker and more weak. 
With looking at the thing so dear, 
Which lies so far, and yet so near. 

Now, Lord, I leave at Thy loved feet 
This thing which looks so near, so sweet ; 
I will not seek, I will not long — 
I almost fear I have been wrong. 
I'll go and work the harder, Lord, 
And wait till by some loud, clear word 
Thou callest me to Thy loved feet, 
To take this thing so dear, so sweet. 



NONE OR ALL. 

u ~r ORD, I will follow Thee," I said, 

I 1 " And give to Thee my heart. 
And for the world and self will keep 

Only a little part ; 
A little part what time my soul 

Grows weary, worn, and sad, 
A little spot where earthly joys 

May come to make me glad." 
But on my ear it seemed to me, 

I heard a whisper fall : 
" I cannot halve thy heart with thee ; 

Give none to Me — or all." 



NONE OR ALL. 83 

"But, Lord, the world is fair," I said, 

" I would not go astra5% 
Yet sometimes may I pluck a flower 

Outside the narrow way? 
Yet sometimes may I sit serene, 

Nor spirit-conflicts share, 
Just shifting for a space, the cross 

I am content to bear ? " 
Yet once again it seemed to me 

I heard the whisper fall : 
" I cannot halve thy heart with thee ; 

Give none to Me — or all." 

" Ah, Lord, my every hope," I said, 

" On Thee my soul doth rest. 
And I am sure the very way 

Thou leadest me is best ; 
And if I've thought too straight the path. 

Too stern the hindering vows. 
Teach me that naught of real bliss 

Thy service disallows." 
More softly still it seemed to me, 

I heard the whisper fall : 
*' I will not halve My Heaven with thee, 

Then give to Me thine all ! " 



84 WANDERING. 



WANDERING. i 

HAVE wandered to the mountain. 
And the night is dark and cold ; 
I am lost ! O Heavenly Shepherd, 
Where is the Fold ? 



I 



I am weary, I am helpless, 

But still hoping as I stand, 

Reaching out into the darkness. 

To feel Thy hand. 

I am looking for Thy coming, 

For the Fold and safety there — 
I shall perish, loving Shepherd, 
Without Thy care. 

Hark ! I hear the Shepherd calling. 

And the morning sky of gold 
Sends a light across the mountain — 
I see the Fold ! 



41 



THE LAST HOUR. 



85 



THE LA Sr HOUR. 

IF I were told that I must die to-morrow, 
That the next sun 
Which sinks, should bear me past all fear and 
sorrow 
For any one, 
All the fight fought, all the short journey 
through. 

What should I do ? 

I do not think that I should shrink or falter. 

But just go on. 
Doing my work, nor change, nor seek to alter 

Aught that is gone ; 
But rise, and move, and love, and smile, and 
pray 

For one more day. 

And, lying down at night for a last sleeping. 

Say in that ear 
Which hearkens ever : " Lord, within Thy keep- 
ing, 

How should I fear ? 
And, when to-morrow brings Thee nearer still, 

Do Thou Thy will." 

I might not sleep for awe ; but peaceful, tender. 
My soul would lie 



86 THE LAST HOUR. 



All the night long ; and when the morning 
splendor 

Flushed o'er the sky, 
I think that I could smile — could calmly say, 

" It is His day." 

But if a wondrous hand from the blue, yonder. 

Held out a scroll, 
On which my life was writ, and I with wonder 

Beheld unroll 
To a long century's end its mystic clue, 

What should I do ? 

What could I do, O blessed Guide and Master ? 

Other than this : 
Still to go on as now, not slower, faster, 

Nor fear to miss 
The road, although so very long it be, 

While led by Thee ? 

Step after step, feeling Thee close beside me, 

Although unseen. 
Through thorns, through flowers, whether the 
tempest hide Thee, 

Or heavens serene. 
Assured Thy faithfulness cannot betray. 

Thy love decay. 

I may not know, my God, no hand revealeth 
Thy counsels wise ; 



I 



PEA V WITHOUT CEASING. 87 

Along the path a deepening shadow stealeth, 

No voice rephes 
To all my questioning thought, the time to tell, 

And it is well. 

Let me keep on, abiding and unfearing 

Thy will always, 
Through a long century's ripening fruition, 

Or a short day's, 
Thou can'st not come too soon ; and I can wait, 

If Thou come late. 



PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 

a np)RAY without ceasing," says the zealous 

JT Paul ; 

But what means this ? Must we not work, 
nor eat. 
Nor take our rest ? Is prayer to swallow all ? 

Are knees to serve in lieu of hands and feet ? 
Nay, I will show thee what is ceaseless prayer. 
First, 'tis a heart to prayer for aye inclined ; 

Next, that it be of all our choicest care ; 

Next, that we ask the Counselor to share 
Each sorrow of the body and the mind ; 
Next, that we cease not till our good we find. 

Like him who said, " I will not let thee part 

Until thou bless ;" next, that our spirits dart 



1 1 

88 THA.VSrLESE AND PARALLEL. 



Their pious glances, when they can, on high ; 
Last, that we bound each day with morn and 
evening cry. 



TRANSVERSE AND PARALLEL. 

MY will, dear Lord, from Thine doth run 
Too oft a different way ; 
'Tis hard to say, " Thy will be done," 
In every darkened day ! 

My heart grows chill 
To see Thy will 
Turn all life's gold to gray. 

My will is set to gather flowers, 

Thine blights them in my hand ; 
Mine reaches for life's sunny hours, 
Thine leads through shadow-land ; 
And all my days 
Go on in ways 
1 cannot understand. 

Yet more and more this truth doth shine 

From failure and from loss, 
The will that runs transverse to Thine 
Doth thereby make its cross : 
Thine upright will 
Cuts straight and still 
Through pride, and dream, and dross. 



" y£SL/S, HELP CONQUER I " 89 

But if in parallel to Thine 

My will doth meekly run, 
All things in heaven and earth are mine, 
My will is crossed by none : 
Thou art in me. 
And I in Thee — 
Thy will — and mine — are done ! 



*' JESUS, HELP CONQUER 1'' 

JESUS, help conquer ! 
My spirit is sinking. 
Deep waters of sorrow go over my head ; 
Weeping and trembling. 
And fearing and shrinking, 
I watch for the day, and night cometh instead : 
Bitter the cup 
I am hourly drinking ; 
How thorny the path that I hourly tread ! 

Jesus, help conquer ! 

For, fainting and weary. 
Scarcely my hands can their weapons sustain ; 

The way seems so desolate. 

Painful and dreary. 
How shall I ever to heaven attain ? 

Jesus, great Captain ! 

If Thou be not near me. 
How shall I ever the victory gain? 



po " yESL'S, HELP CONQUER I " 

Jesus, help conquer ! 

Earth holds out her lure, 
And mortal affections yearn after the prize : 

Scarcely my heart 

Can the struggle endure ; 
Scarce can I lift up my tear-blinded eyes. 

Jesus ! Redeemer ! 

The promise is sure ; 
Speak to my spirit and bid me arise. 

Jesus, help conquer ! 

There is not an hour 
Of sorrow, or joy, but is ordered by Thee ; 

Thou dost cut down 

Who hast planted the flower — 
Tempest or calm at Thy bidding shall be : 

Look on my sorrow, 

And give me the power 
Humbly to wait till Thou comfortest me. 

Jesus, help conquer ! 
Lord, turn not away : 

See with what power the billows increase ! 
Give me Thy love 
For my comfort and stay ! 

Then shall my trembling and murmuring cease ; 
Then shall my spirit 
Grow strong for the fray — 

Then shall this wear)- heart rest in Thy peace. 



THE COMING. 9 1 

Jesus, help conquer ! 

I cry unto Thee ; 
Hardly my heart its petitions can frame. 

All is so dark 

And so painful to me. 
Ail I can utter sometimes is Thy Name : 

Jesus, help conquer ! 

My portion now be ; 
Though all else should change, be Thou ever 
the same ! 



THE COMING. 

I GATHERED flowers the summer long: 
I dozed the days on sunny leas, 
And wove my fancies into song. 
Or dreamed in aimless ease. 

Or watched, from jutting cliffs, the dyes 
Of changeful waters under me — 

The lazy gulls that dip and rise, 
White specks upon the sea : 

And far away, where blue to blue 

Was wed, the ships that came and went ; 

And thought, O happy world ! and drew 
Therefrom a full content. 



93 



THE COMING. 



My mates toiled in the ripening- field, 
Nor paused for rest in cool or heat ; 

The yellow grain made haste to yield 
Its harvesting complete : 

My mates toiled in their pleasant homes, 
They plucked the fruit from laden boughs. 

And sang, " For if the Master comes 
And find no ready house ! " 

And far and strange their singing seemed. 
And harsh the voices ever)^ one, 

That woke the pleasant dream I dream'd 
To thought of tasks undone. 

Yet still I waited, lingered still, 
Won by a cloud — a soaring lark ; 

Till by and by, the land was chill, 
And ail the sky was dark. 

And lo ! the Master ! through the night 
My mates come forth to welcome Him : 

Their labor done, their garments white, 
While mine are stained and dim. 

They bring to Him their golden sheaves ; 

To Him their finished toil belongs ; 
While I have but these withered leaves. 

And these poor, foolish songs ! 



THE PETRIFIED FERN. 93 



HOPE'S SONG. 

I HEAR it singing, singing sweetly. 
Softly in an undertone, 
Singing as if God had taught it, 
" It is better farther on ! " 

Night and day it sings the sonnet. 

Sings it while I sit alone. 
Sings it so my heart will hear it, 

" It is better farther on ! " 

Sits upon the grave and sings it. 

Sings it when the heart would groan, 

Sings it when the shadows darken, 
" It is better farther on ! " 

Farther on ! How much farther ? 

Count the mile-stones one by one. 
No ; no counting— only trusting 

" It is better farther on ! " 



THE PETRIFIED FERN'. 

IN a valley, centuries ago. 
Grew a little fern leaf, green and slender, 
Veining delicate, and fibres tender ; 
Waving when the wind crept down so low ; 



94 



THE PETRIFIED FERN. 



Rushes tall, and moss, and grass grew round 

it, 
Playful sunbeams darted in and found it, 
Drops of dew stole in, by night, and crowned 
it, 
But no foot of man e'er trod that way , 
Earth was young and keeping holiday. 

Monster fishes swam the silent main. 

Stately forests waved their giant branches, 
Mountains hurled their snowy avalanches. 

Mammoth creatures stalked across the plain ; 
Nature reveled in grand mysteries ; 
But the little fern was not of these, — 
Did not number with the hills and trees. 

Only grew and waved its wild sweet way ; 

None came to note it day by day. 

Earth, one time, put on a frolic mood. 

Heaved the rocks and changed the mighty 
motion 

Of the deep, strong currents of the ocean ; 
Moved the plain, and shook the haughty wood, 

Crushed the little fern in soft, moist clay, 

Covered it, and hid it safe away. 

Oh, the long, long centuries since that day I 
Oh, the agony ! oh, life's bitter cost ! 
Since that useless little fern was lost ! 



LOOKING SEA WARD. 



95 



Useless ! Lost ! There came a thoughtful man 
Searching Nature's secrets, far and deep ; 
Yrovci a fissure in a rocky steep 

He withdrew a stone, o'er which there ran 
Fairy pencilings, a quaint design, 
Veinings, leafage, fibres clear and fine. 
And the fern's life lay in every line ! 

So, I think, God hides some souls away, 

Sweetly to surprise us, the last day. 



LOOKING SEAWARD. 

THE fretted waters of the bay 
Roll golden in the rising sun. 
And swiftly o'er the shining way 
The ships go gliding one by one. 

Athwart the hills that grandly lie, 
Dipping their bare feet in the sea. 

The sails, like white clouds floating by. 
Cast quaint, quick shadows as they flee. 

Far out, where sky and ocean run 
To one bright line of light and foam, 

Those motes that glisten in the sun 
Are happy vessels bounding home. 

And here, amid the city, whirled 

By toil, and strife, and care, we stand 



96 LOOKING SEAWARD. 

And look upon that ocean world, 
As souls look on the promised land. 

Here, all things weary seem, and worn ; 

Our eyes are stained with dust and tears ; 
But there, whence those bright motes are borne, 

How pure and lovely earth appears ! 

'Tis so ; for now, were we with those 
Whose eyes have, sure, a longing gleam. 

On the far-coming ships, who knows. 
How precious might this haven seem ? 

What storms and perils hardly passed — 
What days of doubt and nights of fear — 

Have strained the hearts that now, at last, 
Draw nearer home, and still more near ! 

This is a type of all our days ; 

Forever holding up the glass 
To gaze far-off through golden rays 

On things whereto we may not pass. 

Forever thinking joys that are, 

Are sodden, dull, and full of pain ; 

And those that glisten from afar 
Hold all the gloss and all the gain ! 



A SONG IN THE NIGHT. 



97 



A SONG IN THE NIGHT. 
•* When I awake, I am still with Thee." — Psalm cxxxix. i8. 

IN silence of the middle night, 
I awake to be with Thee ; 
And through the shadows as the light 
Thy mercy smiles on me. 

I talk with Thee upon my bed, 

In meditation blest. 
And sweetly pillow there my head. 

Upon my Saviour's breast. 

I think of Him who knelt and prayed 

At midnight on the hill ; 
Then walked the sea, His friends to aid, 

And bid the storm be still. 

I think of Him who took the cup. 

In dark Gethsemane, 
And gathering strength from prayer rose up 

To die for such as me. 

I think of heaven, where never more 

The weary ask for night, 
But ever fresh'ning glories pour 

New raptures on the sight. 
7 



qS aspira tion. 

So do I learn a parable 

That in my darkest day. 
When waves of sorrow round me swell, 

The storm shall pass away. 

Nor will I turn my head aside, 
Though bitter griefs be mine ; 

But say with Him, the Crucified — • 
Father, my will is Thine. 

Thus shall I praise Thee while I've breath, 

To sing Thy love to me, 
And welcome e'en the night of death. 

To wake and be with Thee. 



I 



ASPIRA TION. 

TAKE the praise we bring Thee, Lord, 
Something more than what we speak. 
For the love within us feels 

Words uncertain, cold, and weak — 
Thoughts that rise and tears that fall. 
Praise Thee better : take them all I 

Looking back the way we've come, 
What a sight, O Lord, we see ! 

All the failure in ourselves, 

All the love and strength in Thee. 



IF I SHOULD DIE TO-NIGHT. 99 

Yet it seemed so dark before — 
Would that we had trusted more ! 

We will shun no future storm, 
Sure Thy voice is in its wind ; 

We'll confront each coming cloud, 
Sure the sun is bright behind : 

Praying then, or praising now, 

Only wilt Thou teach us how ! 

When at last the end shall come, 
What, O Lord, is Death but this. 

Door of our dear Father's home, 
Entrance into perfect bliss, 

Peril past and labor done. 

Sorrow over, peace begun ? 



IF I SHOULD DIE TO-NIGHT. 

IF I should die to-night. 
My friends would look upon my quiet face 
Before they laid it in its resting-place. 
And deem that death had left it almost fair ; 
And laying snow-white flowers against my hair. 
Would smooth it down with careful tenderness, 
And fold my hands with lingering caress — 
Poor hands, so empty and so cold to-night ! 



100 IF I SHOULD DIE TO-NIGHT. 



If I should die to-night, 
My friends would call to mind, with loving 

thought, 
Some kindly deed the icy hands had wrought ; 
Some gentle word the frozen lips had said ; 
Errands on which the willing feet had sped ; 
The memory of my selfishness and pride. 
My hasty words, would all be put aside, 

And so I should be loved and mourned to- 

nisfht ! 



'&■ 



If I should die to-night, 
Even hearts estranged would turn once more 

to me, 
Recalling other days remorsefully ; 
The eyes that chill me with averted glance 
Would look upon me as of yore, perchance, 
And soften in the old, familiar way. 
For who could war with dumb, unconscious clay? 
So I might rest, forgiven of all, to-night ! 

Oh, friends ! I pray to-night. 
Keep not your kisses for my dead, cold brow — 
The way is lonely ; let me feel them now. 
Think gently of me ; I am travel-worn. 
My faltering feet are pierced with many a thorn. 
Forgive, O hearts estranged ! forgive, I plead ! 
When dreamless rest is mine I shall not need, 
The tenderness for which I longed to-night ! 



/ THIRST. lOl 



ONE YEAR MORE. 

THOU in whose garden I have grown apace. 
Plant of no grace, 
Filling a good tree's place. 
Spreading no shade, nor showing any fruit- 
Thankless from crown to root ! 

Thou who, these twenty years, hast come and 
found 

On tree or ground, 
Sound, be it, or unsound, 
No fruit to praise Thee for Thy patient care- 
Stubborn, and hard, and bare ! 

One year more, blaster !— one year for my own ! 

Let him alone ; 

With shame, and sob, and groan, 
I'll dig around his heart-roots— graft and prune ; 
Then? if, for all, he bear not !— ah ! so soon ? 

Ah ! give me one year more! 



I THIRST. 

DOWN through the hushed and thickening 
air. 
And gathering gloom of earth's eclipse, 
That weary word, that half-breathed prayer, 
Hath fallen at last from Jesus' lips. 



I02 / THIRST, 



For three long hours upreared to die. 

For three long hours each sinew straining, 

He hath not breathed as yet one sigh 
Could tell of nature's self-complaining. 

I thirst ! The word is full of pain, 
Of fever-rack, of human anguish. 

Of gaping wounds that life-blood drain, 
And leave the heart to faint and languish. 

And yet not this, not this alone. 

Hath caused that piteous, sad outburst : 

Not human pain hath made that moan, 
Not human want, that mystic thirst. 

Thirst to see justice satisfied ; 

Thirst to save sinners tempest-tossed ; 
Thirst to pour out love's boundless tide 

On souls that all unloved were lost ; 

This was Thy thirst, and this Thy pain, 
This the deep grief Thy bosom nursed : 

Say, Jesus, say that word again ; 
Still for Thy creatures, Jesus, thirst ! 

Thirst, that at last our hearts may give 
Torrents of love that thirst to slake ; 

Thirst, that we too may thirsting live. 
Thirsting to die for Thy sweet sake. 



FOR SA TURD A V NIGHT. 1 03 

Thirsting to see Thee face to face ; 

Thirsting these earthly bonds to sever ; 
Thirsting for that last, long embrace, 

In which such thirst is quenched forever ! 

FOJ^ SATURDAY NIGHT. 

CHAFED and worn with worldly care, 
Sweetly, Lord, my heart prepare ; 
Bid this inward tempest cease ; 
Jesus, come, and whisper peace ! 
Hush the whirlwind of my will, 
With Thyself my spirit fill ; 
End in calm this busy week, 
Let the Sabbath gently break ! 

Sever, Lord, these earthly ties ; 
Fain my soul to Thee would rise. 
Disentangle me from time. 
Lift me to a purer clime, 
Let me cast away my load, 
Let me now draw nigh to God. 
Gently, loving Jesus, speak ; 
End in calm this busy week. 

Draw the curtain of repose 
While my weary eyelids close ; 
Steal my spirit while I rest. 
Give me dreamings pure and blest ! 



1 04 A LAY OF PEA CE IN SICKNESS. 

Raise me with a cheerful heart ; 
Holy Ghost, Thyself impart ; 
Then the Sabbath-day will be 
Heaven brought down to earth and me. 



A LAY OF PEACE IN SICKNESS, 

/^ OD'S almighty arms are round me — 
VjJT Peace, peace is mine ! 
Judgment scenes need not confound me — 

Peace, peace is mine ! 
Jesus came Himself and sought me ; 
Sold to death. He found and bought me. 
Then my blessed freedom taught me — 

Peace, peace is mine ! 

While I hear life's surging billows. 

Peace, peace is mine ! 
Why suspend my harp on willows ? 

Peace, peace is mine ! 
I may sing with Christ beside me ; 
Though a thousand ills betide me, 
Safely He hath sworn to guide me — 

Peace, peace is mine ! 

Every trial draws Him nearer — 

Peace, peace is mine ! 
All His strokes but make Him dearer — 

Peace, peace is mine ! 



TO-. DA V.' 



105 



Bless I then the hand that smiteth 
Gently, and to heal delighteth ; 
'Tis against my sins He tighteth — 
Peace, peace is mine ! 

Welcome every rising sunlight — 
Peace, peace is mine ! 

Nearer home each rolling midnight — ■ 
Peace, peace is mine ! 

Death and hell cannot appall me ; 

Safe in Christ, whate'er befall me. 

Calmly wait I till He call me — 
Peace, peace is mine ! 



TO-DA Yt 

OH, linger sweet to-day ! 
And hasten not away, 
Let kindly eyes still shine, , 
The same old friends be mine, 
The joys which, being thine, 
Shall pass with thee away. 
Oh, leave them, kind to-day ! 

Oh, hasten, drear to-day ! 

Oh, hasten fast away ! 
For thou sad tears hast brought. 
And hours with sorrow fraught, 



106 KOTHIXG. 



Fair hopes that came to naught 
Take, take them all away. 
And linger not to-day ! 

O infinite to-day. 

That shalt not pass away ! 
Out of the shadowy night, 
Into thy heavenly lioht. 
Under His watchful sight, 

We tain would haste away. 

And call earth yesterday. 



NOTHIXG 

OTO be nothing — nothing ! 
Only to lie at His feet 
A broken, empty vessel, 

Thus for His use made meet ! 
Emptied, that He may till me 

As to His service I go, 
Broken, so that unhindered 
Through me His life may flow. 

O to be nothing— nothing! 

An arrow hid in His hand, 
Or a messenger at His gateway 

Waiting for His command ; 
Only an instrument readv 

For Him to use at His will ; 



NOTHING. 



107 



And should lie not require me, 
Willing to wait there still. 

to be nothing — nothing ! 
Though p.iinful the humbling be ; 

Though it lay me low in the sight of those 
Who are now, perhaps, praising me ; 

1 would rather be nothing, nothing, 
That to Him be their voices raised, 

Who alone is the fountain of blessing, 
Who alone is meet to be praised. 

Yet e'en as my pleading rises, 

A voice seems with mine to blend, 
And whispers in loving accents, 

" I call thee not servant, but friend. 
Fellow-worker with Me I call thee. 

Sharing my sorrows and joy — 
Fellow-heir to the glory I have above, 

To treasure without alloy." 

Thine may I be, Thine only, 

Till called by Thee to share 
The glorious heavenly mansions 

Thou art gone before to prepare. 
My heart and soul are yearning 

To see Thee face to face, 
With unfettered tongue to jiraise Thee 

For such heights and depths of grace. 



Io8 ENTICED. 



ENTICED. 

WITH what clear guile of gracious love 
enticed, 
I follow forward, as from room to room. 
Through doors that open into light from 
gloom. 
To find and lose, and find again the Christ. 

He stands and knocks, and bids me ope the 
door ; 
Without He stands, and asks to enter in : 
Why should He seek a shelter sad with sin ? 

Will He but knock and ask, and nothing more ? 

He knows what ways I take to shut my heart. 
And if He will He can Himself undo 
My foolish fastenings, or by force break 
through. 

Nor wait till I fulfill my needless part. 

But nay. He will not choose to enter so ; 
He will not be my guest without consent, 
Nor, though I say, " Come in," is He content ; 

I must arise and ope, or He will go. 

He shall not go ; I do arise and ope — 

" Come in, dear Lord, come in and sup with 
me. 



ENTICED. 109 

O blessed Guest, and let me sup with Thee ! " 
Where is the door ? for in this dark I grope, 

And cannot find it soon enough ; my hand, 
Shut hard, holds fast the one sure key I need. 
And trembles, shaken with its eager heed — 

No other key will answer my demand. 

The door between is some command undone ; 
Obedience is the key that slides the bar, 
And lets Him in, who stands so near, so far ; 

The doors are many, but the key is one. 

Which door, dear Lord ? knock, speak, that I 
may know ; 
Hark, heart ! He answers with His hand and 

voice — 
Oh, still small sign, I tremble and rejoice. 
Nor longer doubt which way my feet must go. 

Full lief and soon this door would open too, 
If once my key would find the narrow slit, 
Which, being so narrow, is so hard to hit — 

But lo ! one little ray that glimmers through, 

Not spreading light, but lighting to the light- 
Now steady, hand, for good speed's sake b« 
slow, 



no ENTICED. 



One straight right aim, a pulse of pressure, 
so — 
How small, how great, the change from dark 
to bright ! 

Now He is here, I seem no longer here ; 

This place of light is not my chamber dim ; 

It is not He with me, but I with Him, 
And Host, not Guest, He breaks the bread of 
cheer. 

I lie upon the bosom of my Lord, 

And feel His heart, and time my heart 
thereby ; 

The tune so sweet, I have no need to try. 
But rest and trust, and beat the perfect chord. 

A little while I lie upon His heart, 

Feasting on love, and loving there to feast. 
And then, once more the shadows are in- 
creased 

Around me, and I feel my Lord depart. 

Again alone, but in a farther place, 
I sit with darkness, waiting for a sign ; 
Again I hear the same sweet plea divine, 

And suit outside of hospitable grace. 

This is His guile — He makes me act the host 
To shelter Him, and lo ! He shelters me ; 



''FAR A IV A F." Ill 



Asking for alms, He summons me to be 
A guest at banquets of the Holy Ghost. 

• 

So, on and on, through many an opening door 
That gladly opens to the key I bring. 
From brightening court to court of Christ 
my King, 

Hope-led, love-fed, I journey evermore. 



"FA R A W A V." 

■ The land that is verj' far oflf." — Isa. xxxiii. 17. 

UPON the shore 
Of evermore 
We sport like children at their play ; 
And gather shells 
Where sinks and swells 
The mighty sea from far away. 

Upon the beach 

Nor voice, nor speech 
Doth things intelligible say ; 

But through our souls 

A whisper rolls 
That comes to us from far away. 

Into our ears 
The voice of years 



112 ''FAK A WA r ." 



Comes deeper, deeper, day by day , 

We stoop to hear, 

As it draws near. 
Its awfulness from far away. 

At what it tells 

We drop the shells 
We were so full of yesterday. 

And pick no more 

Upon that shore, 
But dream of brighter far away. 

And o'er the tide, 

Far out and wide. 
The yearnings of our souls doth stray ; 

We long to go, 

We do not know 
Where it may be, but far away. 

The mighty deep 

Doth slowly creep 
Upon the shore where we did play ; 

The very sand 

Where we did stand 
A moment hence, swept far away. 

Our playmates all 
Beyond our call. 
Are passing hence, as we too may, 



" PUKIFIETU HIMSELF. 



"3 



Unto that shore 
Of evermore, 
Beyond the boundless far away. 

We'll trust the wave, 

And Him to save 
Beneath whose feet as marble lay 

The rolling deep, 

For He can keep 
Our souls in that dim far away. 



"FUIUFIETIl HIMSELF EVEN AS HE 
IS PUKE." 

WHEN in deep silence my expectant 
heart, 
Waited the sight of its adored guest 
With lamp in hand, I urged a tireless quest 
For soil, or stain ; I sought to place my best 
In every part. 

The lamp-light fell athwart my closed rooms, 
Like whitest linen gleamed the draperies. 
Oh, fair shall shine each thing that in them is, 
When on my night the Sun of Love shall rise 
To light these glooms ! 

Soon with that day my windows were aglow: 
I turned to look my ordered heart within, 

8 



114 GOD KNOIVETH BEST. 

Then drowned my pride in tears ; for what had 

been 
Pure in my eyes, was dyed with smut of sin — • 
I kneeled low : 

Lord, not myself, but Thou, must make me 

clean. 
Let love, a river, flood these dusty floors ; 
Write Thy name on the lintels of the doors, 
Then when again Thy searching sunshine pours, 
I shall be clean. 



GOD KNO WE TH BEST. 

HE took them from me, one by one. 
The things I set my heart upon ; 
They looked so harmless, fair, and blest ; I 

Would they have hurt me ? God knows best ; , 

He loves me so, He would not wrest 1 

Them from me if it were not best. 



He took them from me, one by one — 

The friends I set my heart upon. 

Oh ! did they come, they and their love, 

Betw^een me and my Lord above ? 

Were they as idols in my breast ? 

It may be : God in heaven knows best. 



: THE THORN AND CROSS. 



115 



I will not say, I did not weep, 
As doth a child that wants to keep 
The pleasant things in hurtful p ay 
His wiser parent takes away : 
But in this comfort I will rest, 
He who hath taken knowe best. 



THE THORN AND CROSS. 

" There was given unto me a thorn in the flesh." — 2 Cor. 
xii. 7. 

" And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after 
me, cannot be my disciple." — St. Luke xiv. 27. 

THE thorn is very sharp, O righteous Mas- 
ter ! 

The flesh is weak ; 
And drops of blood and blinding tears fall 
faster 
Than I can speak ! 
Ah ! deeply in my bosom it is driven 

To rend and tear, 
Pressed by the rugged cross that Thou hast 
given 

For me to bear ! 



T could endure the thorn, though fiercely gall- 
ing, 

If that were all ; 
Or bear the cross without a fear of falling — • 



Il6 l^HE THORN AND CROSS. 



Yea, count it small 
If I could only bear it on my shoulder, 

And not my breast, 
Where goads the thorn ; my heart would then 
grow bolder, 

Blest with such rest. 

I had borne either, singly ; both united 

Have vanquished me ! 
I prostrate lie, oppressed, distressed, benighted. 

And cry to Thee ! 
O Jesus ! place Thy hand beneath the burden 

A little while ; 
Or soothe the wounds by that all-healing gTier- 
don, 

A Saviour's smile ! 

He comes ; He lifts ; He soothes. A little 
longer 

I plod my way ! 
His gracious strength has made my sad soul 
stronger 
To last the day. 
But cross and thorn will tempt, until the clos- 
ing 

Of mortal hfe ; 
And I shall show, although in heaven reposing, 
The scars of strife. 



CE TIISEMA NE. WJ 

GETHSEMANE. 

J" IKE Him, whilst friends and lovers slept, 
1 Have we not all heart-broken crept 
Into thy shadows once and wept, 

Gethsemane ? 

We knew not how the day had run. 
We only knew that hope was gone. 
And fain no more would greet the sun, 

Gethsemane ! 

Our mothers slumbered in the tomb, 
Love, though immortal, could not come 
To cheer their children in thy gloom, 

Gethsemane I 

Not with us was our true helpmeet. 
Who bore us sons and made life sweet. 
And loved us with a love complete, 

Gethsemane ! 

Not with us might the friend abide, 
Who, ever trusty, ever tried. 
Fought our Truth's battle by our side, 

Gethsemane ! 

We were alone. The w^orld was still. 

The breath of heaven seemed cold and chill. 

We beat our breast and wept our fill, 

Gethsemane ! 



1 1 8 THEIR THO UGH TS A ND O UR THO UGH TS. 



Prone on the ground our limbs were spread, 
We wished it were our dying bed, 
Since hope, and joy, and faith had fled, 

Gethsemane ! 

But late, there broke a little light 
Into the darkness of the night. 
And we were taught to pray aright, 

Gethsemane ! 

Then Christ Himself said, standing near, 
" O fellow-mourners, have no fear, 
I weep with thee, and God is here ! " 

Gethsemane ! 



THEIR THOUGHTS AND OUR 
THOUGHTS. 

SIX years have faded since she went away. 
Six years for her to live in heavenly places, 
To learn the look of blessed angel faces ; 
Six years to grow as only angels may. 

I wonder oft what she is doing there. 
By the still waters that forever flow ; 
What mighty secrets she has come to know ! 

What graces won, divinely sweet and fair ! 

I wonder who of those that went before. 
And those that followed on her shining way, 



THEIR THOUGHTS AND OUR THOUGHTS. 



119 



She has met there, in Heaven's auroral day, 
And if they talk their earth-life o'er and o'er ? 

I think this very morning they are met. 
She and one other only three years gone, 
In some dear place in Heaven, secure and 
lone, 

To talk of things they never can forget. 

For I am sure that naught of their new life. 
No grace or glory that is there revealed. 
The fountains of past love has ever sealed, 

But these v^^ill ever be with sweetness rife. 

I cannot think of them as they are now, 
Of the new light that shines upon their faces ; 
I cannot image forth their angel graces ; 

And I am glad, so glad, that it is so. 

So we will think of them just as they were. 
Their voices sweet and all their pleasant ways ; 
And thoughts like these shall help us through 
the days. 

Until we go to meet them where they are. 



1 20 COJVSOLA TION IN CHRIST. 



Alone, and all-forsaken by 

The hearts th^t we have served in need, 

While keen reproaches multiply, 

And gaping wounds afresh do bleed, 

If in the Spirit we can see 

No fellowship of sj-mpathy, 

No tender pity of our need. 

Then are we desolate indeed ! 



CONSOLATION IN CHRIST. 

IF any consolation be 
In Christ ! O, words of mild reproof 

To all who sit in misery, fi 

Holding their griefs and cares aloof ^ 

From that dear Helper, — bowing low "*" 
Beneath the heavy weights of woe ; 
Yet seeking not the sweet relief ' • 

To purchase which He bore our giief. % 

i 

If there no consolation be j^' 

In Christ, or comfort in His love, ^| 

Ah ! where for succor can we flee ? |' 

Too heavy must our burden prove i 

If we must bear its weight alone — I 
So deathly faint as we have grown ; 

Beneath this long suspense and fear, u 

What if there were no comfort near ? J^ 



5 



• HE LEA DE TH ME. " j 2 1 



Comfort the hearts that ache and bleed, 
O blessed Jesus ! Soothe the woe 
Of trembling lips that vainly plead ; 
How rough these earthly paths can grow, 
Thy pierced, wounded feet attest ; 
Give to the heavy-laden rest, 
Draw all the weary unto Thee, 
Till they Thy consolation see. 



"HE LEA BE Til ME." 

Psalm xxiii. 

IN " pastures green ?" Not always ; some- 
times He, ■ 
Who knoweth best, in kindness leadeth me 
In weary ways, where heavy shadows be ; 

Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright. 
Out of the sunshine into darkest night, 
I oft would faint with sorrow and affright, 

Only for this — I know He holds my hand ; 
So, whether led in green or desert land, 
I trust, although I may not understand. 

And by " still waters ?" No, not always so ; 
Ofttimes the heavy tempests round me blow, 
And o'er my soul the waves and billows go. 



122 REST. 

But when the storms beat loudest, and I cry 
Aloud for help, the Master standeth by, 
And whispers to my soul, " Lo, it is I !" 

Above the tempest wild I hear Him say, 
" Beyond this darkness lies the perfect day ; 
In every path of thine I lead the way." 

So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair 
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys where 
The shadows lie — what matter? He is there. 

And more than this : where'er the pathway lead. 
He gives to me no helpless, broken reed. 
But His own hand, sufficient for my need. 

So, where He leads me, I can safely go ; 
And in the blest hereafter I shall know, 
Why in His wisdom He hath led me so. 



J^ E S T . 

" Oh ! spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go 
hence, and be no more." — Ps. xxxix. 13. 

]T^OLD up thy hands, my weary soul, 
J Sit down beside the way ! 
Thou hast at last a time to rest, 
At last a holiday. 



RES T. 



123 



Thy lingering life of weariness, 

Thy time of toil and tears, 
A little space may grant thee grace 

To overcome thy fears. 

A bright access of patient peace, 

Nor rapture, nor delight ; 
But even as sounds of labor cease 

Before the hush of night. 

Or, as the storm that all day long 
Has wailed, and raged, and wept. 

Nor ceased its force nor changed its course. 
While slow the daylight crept ; 

But suddenly, before the sun 

Drops down behind the hills, 
A clear, calm shining parts the cloud. 

And all the ether fills. 

Or, as the sweet and steadfast shore 

To them that sailed the sea ; 
Or home to them that ply the oar. 

Or leave captivity. 

Like any child that cries itself 

On mother-breast to sleep, 
Lord, let me lie a little while. 

Till slumber groweth deep ; 



124 I STA ND A ND KNOCK. 



So deep that neither love nor life 
Shall stir its calm repose — 

Beyond the stress of mortal strife. 
The strain of mortal woes. 

Spare me this hour to sleep, before 
Thy sleepless bliss is given ; 

Give me a day of rest on earth, 
Before the work of heaven ! 



/ STAXD AND KNOCK. 

I STAND and knock, at holy Advent time ; 
Oh ! happy, then, is he 
Who, knowing well the Shepherd's voice. 
Opens the door to me ; 
The evening meal with him I'll hold, 
And heavenly light and grace unfold. 
I stand and knock. 

I stand and knock. Without it is so cold ; 

The snow lies o'er the land ; 
Like crj'Stal columns, tall and straight, 
The icy fir-trees stand, 
And frozen are the hearts of mortals. 
Who will unloose the tight-barred portals? 
I stand and knock. 



/ S TA KD A ND KNOCK. 125 

I Stand and knoqk. Oh, could 'st Thou look 
but once 
Into my very face ! 
Could'st Thou behold the crown of thorns, 
The bloody nail-prints trace ! 
So long have I been seeking Thee, 
My steps lead from the accursed tree, 
I stand and knock. 

I stand and knock. The evening is so calm, 

So quiet, near and far 
The wide earth sleeps, from yonder heaven 
Looks down the evening star. 
In such still, sacred hour of night, 
To many a heart I've given light. 
I stand and knock. 

I stand and knock. Say not, " It is the wind 

Rustling the branches sere ;" 
Thy Saviour 'tis, thy Lord, my child ; 

Ah, close not now thine ear ! , 
Though now I speak in whispers mild. 
Too soon, perchance, in storm-blasts wild, 
I stand and knock. 

I stand and knock. Now, would I be thy guest ; 

But when this house of thine 
A ruin lies, then think, oh ! soul. 

That thou shalt knock at Mine. 



1^6 ^'LET US PA ss over: 



Then, if thou hast welcomed J/<?, 
I'll open Heaven's gates to t/iee^ 
I stand and knock. 



"LET US PASS OVER" 
]Mark iv. 35. 

^^ ~r ET us pass over !" We were far astray ; 
I A Between us and our home the sea 
was wide : 
\Vhen He, who is Himself the blessed way, 
Bade us cross over, and with Him abide. 

Faith wavered, and temptation lured us on : 
Too fair, this world, for mortal to withstand ; 

Yet came His voice, though from Him Nve had 
gone : 
*' Let us pass over to a better land." 

Again our hearts were torn with grief and pain ; 

Our eyes tear-blinded ; life seemed only loss ! 
When, calling us to His pierced side again. 

Christ showed to us the craitm beyond the 
cross f 

And now life wanes. We stand by the dark 
river. 

With none beside save Him, the crucified. 
Gently He calls, whose love is joy forever : 

•' Let us pass over to the other side," 



II 



PR A VI NG IN SPIRIT. 



127 



FRAYING JN SPIRIT. 
" But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet." 

I need not leave the jostling world, 
Or wait till daily tasks are o'er, 
To fold my palms in secret prayer 
Within the close-shut closet door. 

There is a viewless, cloistered room. 
As hig-h as heaven, as fair as day. 

Where, though my feet may join the throng, 
My soul can enter in and pray. 

When T have banished wayward thoughts, 
Of sinful works the fruitful seed, 

When folly wins my thoughts no more, 
The closet door is shut, indeed. 

No human step approaching, breaks 
The blissful silence of the place ; 

No shadow steals across the light 
That falls from my Redeemer's face I 

And never through those crystal walls 
The clash of life can pierce its way. 

Nor ever can a human ear 

Drink in the spirit-words I say. 



128 ''SEALED, 



One hearkening, even, cannot know 

When I have crossed the threshold o'er, 

For He alone who hears my prayer, 
Has heard the shutting of the door ! 



• ''SEALED." 

I AIM Thine own, O Christ — 
Henceforth entirely Thine ! 
And life, from this glad hour, 
New life is mine ! 

No earthly joy shall lure 

My quiet soul from Thee : 

This deep delight, so pure, 
Is heaven to me. 

l^Iy little song of praise 
In sweet content I sing ; 

To Thee the note I raise. 
My King ! My King ! 

I cannot tell the art 

By which such bliss is given ; 
I know Thou hast my heart, 

And I — have heaven. 



MV CJiOSS. 



129 



THE SPARROtV'S TEXT. 



A SPARROW lighted chirping- on a spray 
Close to my window, as I knelt in prayer, 
Bowed by a heavy load of anxious care. 
The morn was bitter, but the bird was gay. 
And seemed by cheery look and chirp to say, 
" What though the snow conceals my wonted 

fare, 
Nor T have barn or store-house anywhere, 
Yet I trust Heaven even on a winter's day ?" 
That little bird came like a winged text 

Flutt'ring from out God's Word to soothe 
my breast : 
What though my life with wintry cares be 
vexed, 
On a kind Father's watchful love I rest ; 
He meets /his moment's need ; I leave the next ; 
And, always trusting, shall be always blest? 



MY CROSS. 

a r\ LORD, my God !" I oft have said, 
Vy " Had I some other cross instead 
Of this I bear from day to day, 
'Twere easier to go on my way. 

" I do not murmur at its weight ; 
That Tho<u hast made proportionate 
9 



I ^O THE FIL GRIM 'S PR A YER. 

To my scant strength ; but, oh ! full sore 
It presses where it pressed before. 

** Change for a space, however brief. 
The wonted burden, that relief 
May o'er my aching shoulders steal, 
And the deep bruise i^ave room to heal I" 

While thus I sadly sighed to-day, 

I heard my gracious Father say, 

" Canst thou not trust My love, my child, 

And to thy cross be reconciled ? 

" I fashioned it thy needs to meet ; 
Nor were thy discipline complete 
Without that very pain and bruise. 
Which thy weak heart would fain refuse." 

Ashamecf, I answered, " As Thou wilt ; 
I own my faithlessness and guilt ! 
Welcome the weary pain shall be, 
Since only that is best for me." 



THE PILGRIM'S PRAYER. 

I GO on pilgrimage. The road in view 
Lies fair revealed ; 
I3ut, when the sun shall drink the wayside dew, 
Be Thou my Shield I 



THE PILGRIM'S PR A YKR. 



131 



The soft wind shifts, and lo! gray mists of 
doubt 

My pathway hide ! 
With bruised feet and hands I grope about ; 
Be Thou my Guide ! 

Now tempests rise, and o'er the wind-swept way, 

To 'scape the shock, 
Seeking some covert vainly as I stray, 

Be Thou my Rock ! 

Though after storm, stealing through sun- 
touched rift, 

Calm comes at length, 
O'erborne and prone, mine eyes I may not lift ; 
Be Thou my strength ! 

One draught from Thy life-giving fountain send, 

And let me quaff — 
Refreshed, I'll gird me for my journey's end ; 

Be Thou my Staff ! 

When pilgrimage is o'er, and life's day lies 

Low in the west — 
While the night shadows dim my weary eyes. 

Be Thou my Rest ! 



T''2 I AND MY B URDEN. 



II 



/ J. YD MV BURDE}7. 

I AND my burden, O Master ! 
I come at Thy merciful call, 
And cry to the Infinite goodness 
That helpeth and healcth us all. 

I and my burden ! I bore it 

In weakness and weariness long ; 

It dimmed all the glory of sunlight, 
It hushed all the sweetness of song. 

It hid all the love-light around me, 

Dropped thorns on my wearisome way, 

It benumbed all the strength of my striving. 
And banished the beauty of day. 

I and my burden, O Master ! 

No sheaves of the ripening grain ; 
But only a fruitage of folly. 

Of idleness, weakness, and pain. 

I and my burden ! I bring it 

In shame and in sorrow to Thee ; 

For I know there is none other refuge 
Of help, or of healing for me. 

I stretch forth the hands that are failing, 

I lift up the heart that is sore ; 
I have brought Thee my burden, O INIaster I 

Thy pardon and peace I implore ! 



CUl BONO. 



"^ZTi 



HEAVEN OVER ALL. 

now many hours of patient toil 
Our faitlifulncss to test? 
How many burdens yet to bear 

Before the hands may rest ? 
How many crosses ere they lie 
Calm folded on the breast ? 
Yet toil and burden, cross and rod, 
Divinest love hath blest. 

How fierce the battle ere we win 

The conqueror's robe and palm ! 
How sharp the wounds before they feel 

The healinjc drops of balm ! 
How loud the Babel sounds of strife 

Before the evening psalm ! 
And yet, o'er all, the heaven extends 

Its soundless deeps of calm. 



CUL B N- . 

PALE star, if star thou be, that art 
So fain to shine, though far apart 
From all thy stately peers ; 
Thou whom the eye can scarce discern- 
Oh ! who hath set thee there to burn 
Among the spheres ? 



134 



CUI BONO. 



Thou com'st too late : the firmament 
Is full, and thou wast never meant 

For yonder gorgeous steep ; 
The night hath counted all her pearls, 
And pillow'd on her casket, furls 

Her wings in sleep. 

The night needs not thy tardy ray ; 
Thou canst not usher in the day, 

Nor make the twilight fair ; 
What sailor turns to thee at sea ? 
What mourner doth look up to thee 

In his despair ? 

Mournful or glad, no eye shall chance 
To light on thee ; no curious glance 

Thy motions shall discern : 
No lonely pilgrim pause to catch 
Thy parting ray, nor lover watch 

For thy return. 

Oh ! leave the world that loves thee not- 
For who shall mark the vacant spot ? 

Oh ! drop into the cloud 
That waits to take thee out of sight. 
Beyond the glare of yonder bright 

And chilly crowd. 

" I may not, if I would, return 
Into the dark, or cease to burn 



CUI BONO. 



135 



My spark of life divine : 
For He that in my lamp distills 
The sacred oil. He surely wills 

That I should shine. 

" I fret not at the blaze of spheres, 
The distant splendor that endears 
The night to men ; but strive, 
Finding strange bhss in perfect calm, 
To keep with these few drops of balm 
My flame alive. 

" It may be that some vagrant world 
Or aimless atom, toss'd and whirl'd 

Through windy tracks of space, 
Perceives by me the hand that tends 
It ever, and the goal that ends 

Its tedious race. 

" I know not : me this only care 
Concerns, that I forever bear 

My silver lamp on high. 
Nor lift to God a laggard flame, 
Because on earth I cannot claim 

A partial eye." 



136 OLD A GE. 



I 



OLD AGE. 

j"^LlNG down the laded blossoms o{ the 

J sprinj^, 

Nor clasp the roses with rcgTetful hand ; 
The joy of siininier is a vanished thinj^ ; 

Let it depart, and learn to understand 
The gladness of great calm — the autumn rest. 
The Peace — of human joys the latest and the 
best. 

Ah ! 1 rcnicmber how in early days 

The primrose and the wild-tlower grew be- 
side 

My tangled forest paths, whose devious ways 
Filled me with joys of mysteries untried. 

And terror that was more than half delight. 

And sense of budding life, and longings infinite. 

And I remember how, in Life's hot noon, 
Around my path the lavish roses shed 

Color and fragrance, and the air of June 
Breathed rapture — now those summer days 
are fled ; 

Days of sweet peril, when the serpent lay 

Lurking at every turn of life's enchanted way. 

The light of spring, the summer's glow, are 
o'er, 
And I rejoice in knowing that for me 



O L D A G E . 



137 



The woodbine and the roses bloom no more, 
Tlie tender green is gone from tield and 

tree ; 
Brown barren sprays stand clear against the 

blue, 
And leaves fall fast, and let tJie truthful snn~ 

light through. 

For me the hooded herbs of autumn grow, 

Square-stemmed and sober ; mint and sage, 
Horehound and balm — such plants as healers 
know ; 
And the decline of life's long pilgrimage 
Is soft and sweet with marjoram and thyme. 
Bright with pure evening dew, not serpents' 
glittering slime. 

And round my path the aromatic air 

Breathes health and perfume, and the turfy 
ground 
Is soft for weary feet, and smooth and fair 

With little thornless blossoms that abound 
In safe dry places, where the mountain side 
Lies to the setting sun, and no ill beast can 
hide. 

What is there to regret ? Why should I mourn 
To leave the forest and the marsh behind. 

Or towards the rank, low meadows sadly turn ? 
Since here another loveliness I hnd. 



138 MV CROSS. 



Safer and not less beautiful — and blest 

With glimpses, faint and far, of the long- 
\\ished-for Rest. 

And so I drop the roses from my hand, 

And let the thorn-pricks heal, and take my 
way 
Do^^•n hill, across a fair and peaceful land 
Lapt in the golden calm of dying day — 
Glad that the night is near, and glad to know 
That, rough or smooth the way, / have not 
far to go. 



MY CJ^ S S. 

IT is not hea\T, agonizing woe. 
Bearing me down with hopeless, crushing 
weight ; 
No ray of comfort in the gathering gloom ; 
A heart bereaved, a household desolate. 

It is not sickness with her Nsithering hand, ( 

Keeping me low upon a couch of pain ; i 

Longing each morning for the wear\- night. 
At night for wear\- day to come again. 

It is not povert}- \\ith chilling blast. 

The sunken eye, the hunger- wasted form ; 

The dear ones perishing for lack of bread. 
With no safe shelter from the winter's storm. 



My C/iOSS. i-yg 

It is not slander with her evil tongue ; 

'Tis not "presumptuous sins" against my 
God ; 
Not reputation lost, nor friends betrayed ; 

That such is not my cross I thank my God. 

Mine is a daily cross of petty cares. 
Of little duties pressing on my heart, 

Of little troubles hard to reconcile, 
Of mvvard troubles overcome in part. 

My feet are weary in their daily rounds. 
My heart is weary of its daily care, 

My sinful nature often doth rebel ; 

I pray for grace my daily cross to bear. 

It is not heavy, Lord, yet oft I pine ; 

It is not heavy, but 'tis everywhere ; 
By day and night each hour my cross I bear, 

I dare not lay it down — Thou keep'st it there. 

I dare not lay it down ; I only ask 
That, taking up my daily cross, I may 

Follow my Master, humbly, step by step. 
Through clouds and darkness, unto perfect 
day. 



1 40 CL OSE T PR A VER. 

CLOSET PRAYER. 

LORD, I have shut my door, 
Shut out life's busy cares and fretting 
noise : 
Here in this silence they intrude no more ; 

Speak Thou, and heavenly joys 
Shall fill my heart with music sweet and calm, 
A holy psalm. 

Yes, I have shut my door 
Even on all the beauty of Thine earth ; 
To its blue ceiling from its emerald floor. 

Filled with spring's bloom and mirth ; 
From these Thy works I turn, Thyself I seek. 
To Thee I speak. 

And I have shut my door 
On earthly passions, all its yearning love. 
Its tender friendships, all the priceless store 

Of human ties. Above 
All these my heart aspires, O heart divine, 
Stoop Thou to mine ! 

Lord, I have shut my door, 
Come Thou and visit me. I am alone ! 
Come, as when doors were sliiit. Thou cam'st 
of yore 

And visitedst Thine own. 
My Lord, I kneel with reverent love and fear. 
For Thou art here ! 



DA Y. 141 



DAY. 



t^-V-yOT clear, nor dark," not rain nor 

INI shine — 

Lord, help a trembling child of Thine 

To sit, and sing, and wait : 
Surely the days of light are Thine ; 
Thou hast not spent Thy store divine, 
Nor closed Thy golden gate. 

But I would do, and I would go, 
Would have, would see, would seek, would 
know, 

And Thou would 'st have me wait ; 
Would'st have me rest, and trust, and smile. 
And work at little things a while. 

Till Thou shalt give me great. 

Content to be uncertain still, 
To serve by waiting for Thy will, 

Through chilly, gloomy days — 
To pray for doubting ones and tried, 
Whose lives may have a darker side ; 
To pray for grace to praise. 

" Known to the Lord"— this dreary time 
Shall do its part, and fruit of Thine, 
So precious, rare, and sweet. 



142 LEFT ALL. 

Shall cluster on Thy trees of grace, 
And make their home a sacred place 
For Thee and angels meet. 



LEFT ALL. 

MASTER, unto Thy feet my gifts 1 bring-, 
Alas ! how small ; 
I follow Thee, though far my wandering 
Ere 1 left all. 

Thou knowest all the roughness of the road, 

The pain, the fear. 
The desert sands my wayward feet have trod, 

The terrors near. 

The evil hidden deep within my heart, 

The constant strife. 
Ere I was drawn to choose the better part. 

The truer life. 

If now Thine eye, that seeth all, can see 

A single love 
That more than Thy sweet love is now to me, 

Oh ! P^riend above. 

Help me to tear the idol from its place ! 

For I would fain 
Behold the beauty of my Saviour's lace. 

And so remain 



IFHV ir.lLA' IN DARKNESS? 143 

Through all the seasons of this changeful life, 

With lifted eye, 
Unheeding though through sorrow and through 
strife — 

Thou comcst nigh. 

I have left all, and so I follow Thee ; 

Oh ! take my hand, 
And by the way that seemest best for me, 

Lead to the land 

Ot light and love, where many mansions are : 

Streams not a ray, 
Out through the vista of the gates ajar, 

O'er all my way ! 



IVHV WALK IN DARKNESS? 

WHY walk in darkness? Has the clear 
light vanished 
That gave us joy and day ? 
Has the great sun departed? Has sin ban- 
ished 
His life-begetting ray ? 

Light of the world ! forever, ever shining. 

There is no change in Thee ; 
True Light of life, all joy and health enshrin- 
ing. 
Thou canst not fade nor H 



1 44 IV//V WALK IN DA RKNESS f 



Thou hast arisen ; but Thou descendest never— 
To-day shines as the past ; 

All that Thou wast, Thou art, and shalt be 
ever — 

Brightness from first to last. 

Night visits not Thy sky, nor storm, nor sad- 
ness ; 

Day fills up all its blue : 
Unfailing beauty, and unfaltering gladness, 

And love, forever new. 

Why walk in darkness } Our true light still 
shineth ; 

It is not night, but day. 
All healing and all peace His light enshrineth ; 

Why shun His loving ray } 

Are night and shadows better, truer, dearer. 
Than day, and joy, and love .'* 

Do tremblings and mistrusting bring us nearer 
To the great God of love ! 

Light of the world ! undimming and unsetting. 
Oh, shine each mist away ! 

Banish the fear, the falsehood, and the fretting, 
By an unchanging day ! 



GOD'S PLAN. 



145 



A DOR ATI ON. 



I LOVE my God, but with no love of mine. 
For I have none to give ; 
I love Thee, Lord, but all the love is Thine, 

For by Thy life I live. 
I am as nothing, and rejoice to be 
Emptied, and lost, and swallowed up in Thee. 

Thou, Lord, alone art all Thy children need. 

And there is none beside : 
From Thee the streams of blessedness pro- 
ceed, 

In Thee the blest abide. 
Fountain of life, and all-abounding grace. 
Our source, our centre, and our dv^-elling-place. 



''god ha th his plan for ever y 

man:' 

TAKE this maxim home to your heart. 
If groping in earth's shadows ; 
And the blossoms of faith and hope will start 

And brighten life's dreary meadows, 
And the clouds give place to sunlight's gold, 
And the rocks grow green 'neath the mosses ; 
" God hath His plan 
For every man." 
Though mingled with flowers and crosses. 
10 



146 GOD'S PLAN. 

Though weary and long- the time may seem, 

Ere the veil of the future be lifted, 
And many a radiant hope and dream 

Have into oblivion drifted ; 
Yet after a while the light will come. 
And after a while the glory : 
" God hath His plan 
For every man," 
And the angels whisper the story. 

Then why should ye murmur, and sigh, and fret, 

And follow each bent and calling ? 
The violet patiently waits to be wet 

With the dews at the night-time falling ; 
And the robin knows that the spring will come, 
Though the winds are around her waihng ; 
" God hath His plan 
For every man," 
And His ways are never-failing. 

Then gird ye on the armor of faith, 

And onward your way keep pressing : 
It may be through valleys of carnage and death, 

Or up on the Mount of Blessing ; 
And if by His counsel guided, at last 
He'll lead you up to your glory ; 
" God hath His plan 
For every man," 
And the angels whisper the story. 



ENDURANCE. 



147 



END URANCE. 

FAINT not beneath thy burden, though it 
seem 
Too heavy for thee, and thy strength be small ; 
Though the fierce raging of the noon-tide beam 
On thy defenceless head untempered fall. 

Though sad and heart-sick with the weight of 

woe, 
That to the earth would crush thee — journey on ; 
What though it be with faltering step and slow. 
Thou wilt forget the toil when rest is won. 

Nay ! murmur not, because no kindred heart 
May share thy burden with thee — but alone 
Still struggle bravely on, though all depart. 
Is it not said that " Each must bear his own ?" 

All have not equally the power to bless ; 
And of the many few could cheer our lot ; 
For " the heart knoweth its own bitterness. 
And with its joy a stranger meddleth not." 

Then be not faithless though thy soul be dark ; 
Is not thy Master's seal upon thy brow ? 
Oft has His presence saved thy shining bark, 
And thinkest thou He will forsake thee now ? 



148 '■'THE SINS OF MY YOUTHS 

Hath He not bid thee cast on Him thy care, 
Saying- He careth for thee ? Then arise, 
And on thy path, if trod in faith and prayer. 
The thorns shall turn to flowers of Paradise, 



"REMEMBER NOT THE SINS OF 

MY youth:' 

COULD I recall the years that now are flown 
Forevermore ; 
Revive my early visions — long o'erthrown — 

And hope restore, 
How blest it were to mould my life anew, 
And all my broken vows of youth renew ! 

Oh ! were I once again but free to choose 

As in past days. 
How oft the sunlit path I would refuse 

For sterner ways ! 
Content to turn aside from every road 
Save that which kept me in the smile of God. 

But vain the dream : the strife is o'er with me ; 

Dark days remain : 
I could not trust my heart if I were free 

To choose again : 
The dazzling morning might again deceive. 
Life be misspent, and age be left to grieve. 



JESUS ONLY. 149 

I would not, if I could, recall the years 

That now are fled : 
Their cares and pleasures, labors, hopes, and 
fears 

For me are dead : 
I ask but mercy for the weary past. 
And grace to guide me gently home at last. 



yE S US ONL V. 

*' And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone." — 
St. Luke ix. 36. 

THE vision fades away — 
The brilliant radiance from heaven is 
gone ; 
The angel visitants no longer stay, 
Silent the voice — Jesus is found alone. 

In strange and sad amaze 

The three disciples watch, with longings vain, 
While the cloud-chariot floats beyond their gaze ; 

Yes, these must go — He only will remain. 

" Oh, linger, leave us not, 

Celestial Brothers ! heaven has seemed so 
near 
While ye were with us — earth was all forgot !" 

See, they have vanished ; He alone is here. 



I^O y£SC/S ONLY. 

" He only — He, our own, 

Our loving Lord, is ever at our side, 
What though the messengers of heaven are 
gone ! 

Let all depart, if He may still abide \ " 

Such surely was their thought 

Who stood beside Him on that wondrous eve. 
So would lae feel ; Jesus, forsake us not, 

When those unutterably dear must leave ! 

For all their priceless love, 

All the deep joy their presence could impart, 
Foretaste together of the bliss above. 

We thank Thee, Lord, though with a break- 
ing heart ! 

Nor murmur we to-day 

That He w^ho gave should claim his own 
again ; 
Long from their native heaven they could not 
stay. 
The servants go — the Ivlaster will remain. 

Jesus is found alone — 

Enough for blessedness in earth or heaven ! 
Yet to our weakness hath His love made 
known. 

More than Himself shall in the end be given. 



FAITH AND SIGHT. 



151 



*' Not lost, but gone before," 

Are our beloved ones ; the faithful Word 
Tells of a meeting-place to part no more ; 

" So shall we be forever with the Lord !" 



FAITH AND SIGHT IN THE LATTER 

DAYS. 

THOU say est, " Take up thy cross, 
O man, and follow me !" 
The night is black, the feet are slack, 
Yet we would follow Thee. 

But oh, dear Lord, we cry, 

That we Thy face could see ! — 

Thy blessed face — one moment's space, 
Then might we follow Thee. 

Dim tracts of time divide 

Those golden days from me ; 

Thy voice comes strange o'er years of change : 
How can we follow Thee ? 

Comes faint and far Thy voice. 

From vales of Galilee. 
Thy vision fades in ancient shades : 

How should we follow Thee? 



152 



FAITH AND SIGHT. 



Unchanging law binds all, 

And nature all we see : 
Thou art a star, far off, too far — 

Too far to follow Thee. 

Ah, sense-bound heart and blind ! 

Is naught but what we see ? 
Can time undo what once was true ? 

Can we not follow Thee ? 

Is what we trace of law 

The whole of God's decree ? 
Does our brief span grasp Nature's plan, 

And bid not follow Thee ? 

O heavy cross of faith 

In what we cannot see ! 
As once of yore. Thyself restore, 

And help to follow Thee. 

If not as once Thou cam'st 

In true humanity ; 
Come yet as guest within the breast 

That burns to follow Thee. 

Within our heart of hearts 

In nearest nearness be ; 
Set up Thy throne within Thine own ; 

Go, Lord — we follow Thee. 



Jl 



OUR HIGH PRIEST. i c ^ 



OUR HIGH PRIEST. 

Heb. iv. 15. 

TOUCHED with the feeling of our need ! 
My sad eyes weep for joy indeed ; 
For else, in all this round of pain, 
How could they look on joy again ? 

Sad and cast down, O great High Priest, 
Thou feelest what I feel the least ; 
And how much more this sore distress 
That yearns so for Thy tenderness ? 

As once of old Thy gracious touch 
Was laid for healing upon such ; 
So let me nearer press like them. 
And reach and kiss Thy garment's hem. 

I am so sick — oh, let me feel 
One moment Thy sweet will to heal ; 
I am so tired — oh, let me rest, 
Childlike, one hour upon Thy breast. 

My heart is bruised with sorrow ; see, 
O Christ, how deep its wound may be ! 
Its want no other good can fill ; 
Its cry no other voice may still. 



154 



THE MOUNTAIN OF MYRRH. 



For Thou all human griefs hast known ; 
Hast trod earth's dreariest paths alone ; 
Hast loved and wept, by love denied, 
And for Thy love been crucified. 

Made perfect in Thine office so. 
By each temptation, every woe, 
Thou art Thyself of pain the balm. 
And to the waves of sorrow, calm. 

Touched with the feeling" of my need, 
O Saviour, be my Priest indeed ! 
Come near while life grows dim and chill. 
And show Thyself the Healer still. 



THE MOUXTAIN OF MYKRH. 
Song of Solomon iv. 6. 

"TT"? to the fair myrrh mountain, 
K_) The fresh frankincense hill, 
I'll o-et me in this midni^^ht, 

And drink of love my fill. 
O hills of fragrance, smiling 

With every flower of love ! 
O slopes of sweetness, breathing 

Your odors from above ! 
Ye send me silent welcome, 

I waft you mine again ; 



THE MOUNTAIN OF MYRRH. 



155 



Give me the wings of morning, 
Burst this still binding chain ; 
For soon shall break the day. 
And shadows flee away. 

There my beloved dwelleth, 

He calls me up to Him, 
He bids me quit these valleys, 

These moorlands brown and dim. 
There my long-parted wait me — 

The missed and mourned below ; 
Now, eager to rejoin them, 

I fain would rise and go, 
Not long we here shall linger. 

Not long we here shall sigh ; 
The hour of dew and dawning 

Is hastening from on high ; 
For soon shall break the day, 
And shadows flee away. 

O streaks of happy day-spring. 

Salute us from above ; 
O never-setting sunlight, 

Earth longeth for thy love ! 
O hymns of unknown gladness. 

That hail us from the skies. 
Swell till you gently silence 

Earth's meaner melodies ! 
O hope all hope surpassing, 

For evermore to be 



1^6 THE DIFFERENCE. 

O Christ, the Church's Bridegroom, 

In Paradise with Thee ; 
For soon shall break the day, 
And shadows flee away ! 



THE DIFFERENCE. 

MEN send their ships, the eager things, 
To try their luck at sea, 
But none can tell by note or count 

How many there may be. 
One turneth east, another south — 

They never come again ; 
And then we know they must have sunk, 
But neither how nor when. 

God sends His happy birds abroad — 

" They're less than ships," say we ; 
No moment passes but He knows 

How many there should be. 
One buildeth high, another low, 

With just a bird's light care — 
If only one, perchance, doth fall, 

God knoweth when and where. 



HOW LONG f 



157 



HO W LONG? 

MY God, it is not fretfulness 
That makes me say, " How long?" 
It is not heaviness of heart 
That hinders me in song ; 
'Tis not despair of truth and right, 
Nor coward dread of wrong. 

But how can I, with such a hope 

Of glory and of home, 
With such a joy before my eyes, 

Not wish the time were come — 
Of years the jubilee, of days 

The Sabbath and the sun ? 

These years, what ages have they been ! 

This life, how long it seems ! 
And how can I, in evil days, 

'Mid unknown hills and streams, 
But sigh for those of home and heart, 

And visit them in dreams ? 

Yet peace, my heart, and hush, my tongue ; 

Be calm, my troubled breast. 
Each hurrying hour is hastening on, 

The everlasting rest ; 
Thou knowest that the time thy God 

Appoints for thee is best. 



158 ''BOU'ING TO GOD'S IVILW 

Let faith, nor fear, nor fretfulncss, 

Awake the cry, " How long*? " 
Let no faint-heartedness of soul 

Damp thy asjMring- song ; 
Right comes, truth dawns, and night departs 

Of error and of wrong. 



*' BOWING TO GOD'S WILLr 

WHATE'ER God wills, let that be 
done, 
His will is ever wisest ; 
His grace will all thy hope outrun, 

Who to that faith arisest. ] 

The gracious Lord 

Will help afford ; ] 

He chastens with forbearing ; 
Who God believes, 
And to Him cleaves. 
Shall not be left despairing. 

My God is my sure confidence, 
My light and my existence ; 
His counsel is beyond my sense. 
But stirs no weak resistance ; 
His Word declares 
The very hairs 



I 



THE SHADOW OF DEA TH. 



159 



Upon my head are numbered ; 

His mercy large 

Holds me in charge 
With care that never slumbered. 

There comes a day, when, at His will, 

The pulse of nature ceases ; 
I think upon it and am still, 
Let come whate'er He pleases. 

To Him I trust 

My soul, my dust, 
When ilesh and spirit sever ; 

The Christ we sing 

Has plucked the sting 
Away from death forever. 



THE SHADOW OF DEATH. 
Suggested by Holman Hunt's Picture.* 

WEARY, half weary of the work of life, 
The just begun and never ended strife, 
O Son of Mary ! 

* In this picture, Christ is represented as a young man 
working in a carpenter's shop at the close of the day. 
Weary witli labor, He stretches His arms above His head. 
The action throws upon the wall behind His shadow, re- 
sembling that of one hanging upon a cross. His mothe/, 
kneeling before a casket, where she has been examining the 
crowns brought by the Wise Men of the East, starts to see 
the omen. 



1 6o THE SHA DOW OF DBA TH. 



Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter, 
God-given, twenty years agone, to her. 

His mother Mary. 
Jesus, the Lord's Anointed, free from sin ; 
The Way, by which a far-off heaven we win, 
The Door, through which we may all enter in, 

Christ, Son of Mary ! 

Our days, Thou knowest, are short and full of 

woes, 
Our cross, like Thine, too soon its shadow 
throws. 

Tired Son of Mary ! 
Our birth-crowns, that our mothers treasure up, 
Are melted oft into one bitter cup — 

They drink, like Mary ! 
And with dim, frightened eyes, they also see 
The shadow of some strange, accursed Tree, 
Where their dear sons give up the ghost, like 
Thee, 

Great Son of Mary ! 

Oh, full of life, with all life's lawful joys 
Calling upon Thee in melifluous noise. 

Fair Son of Mary ! 
Full of man's strength to do God's whole be- 
hest, 
The noon-tide labor bringing evening rest, 
Sweet Son of Mary ! 



THE SHA DOW OF DEA TH. j 6 1 



Yet through all this, love wiser far than these. 
The shadow of the Cross Thy mother sees 
In its unfathomable mysteries — 
Heart-pierced Mary ! 

But Thou, with those Divine eyes, free from 

fear. 
Thou seest the rest, remaining even here 

To Thee — and Mary ! 
And all God's people, all His children poor, 
Whom thou namest brethren ; knocking at 
their door. 

Blessed Son of Mary ! 
And by and by. Thy earthly travail done. 
Death consummating what Thy life begun, 
Thou'lt say, " Come unto Me, each weary one — 

I am Son of Mary ! " 

O Son of God ! and yet the woman's seed. 
Bruise Thou our serpent sins, even though we 
bleed, 

Like Thee and Mary ! 
Forgive, if we, too, tired ere work be done, 
Look forward longing to the set of sun. 

Alone — no, Mary ! 
And in the day of evil, anguish-rife, 
Remember us ! Through this, our mortal strife, 
Lead us unto Thine everlasting life, 

Christ, Son of Mary ! 

11 



l62 ANYWHERE. 



ANYWHERE. 

ANY little corner, Lord, 
In Thy vineyard wide, 
Where Thou bidd'st me work for Thee, 

There I would abide ; 
Miracle of saving grace 
That Thou givest me a place 
Anywhere. 

Where we pitch our nightly tent 

Surely matters not ; 
If the day for Thee is spent, 

Blessed is the spot ; 
Quickly we the tent may fold. 
Cheerful march through storm and cold. 
With Thy care. 

All along the wilderness. 

Let us keep our sight 
On the moving pillar fixed, 

Constant day and night ; 
Then the heart will make its home, 
Willing, led by Thee, to roam 
Anywhere, 



THE SUFFERER'S COUCH. 163 



THE SUFFERER'S COUCH. 

TO live, and not to die ! 
Only to wait and wait ; 
To watch the passing- of other feet 
Within the heavenly gate, 
To see the kindling light 
On many a long-loved face, 
As one after one the Master calls 
Up to the higher place. 

To feel the loosened clasp ; 

To catch the parting smile — 
To hear the whisper from dying lips, 

" Only a little while ! " 

Only — and yet we weep, 

God hides them from our love. 
It sometimes seems too hard to rejoice 

That they are there — above. 

To live, and not to die ! 

To suffer, not to reign. 
Out in the dreary dark with the night, 

To wrestle hard with pain. 

They with the crown of peace 

Fair on each calmed brow, 
We with the sharpness of thorn and cross. 

To fight on still below. 



164 WAITING FOR THE KING. 

Silence ! O restless heart. 

In quietness be strong ! 
Well knoweth the Lord who watcheth thee. 

The pain of suffering long. 

He knoweth — yet His love 

Is stronger than thy tears ; 
Shall He let thee miss thy full reward, 

For all thy coward fears ? 

Many a boat would sail 

Into the shining west ; 
Into the haven where she would be — 

The land of quiet rest. 

But o'er the darkening sea, 

Through mist, and cold, and fear, 
Cometh sweet a voice that biddeth peace : 

" Patience — thy Lord is here." 



WAITIXG FOR THE KIXG. 

WE sit alone in the stillness, 
]\Iy soul and I, 
And hear, outside of our cloister. 

The world go by — 
The world, with its toiling and buying. 

And striving for gain ; 
The pitiful world, with its crying 
And moaning for pain. 



" HE KNOU'E Til YE HA VE NEEOr \ 65 

We have no part in its aching, 

My soul and I ; 
No part in its giving and taking, 

So let it go by. 
We have shaken off from our sandals 

The dust of its mart, 
And smile to think of its tumult, 

Where we sit apart. 

Closed are the portals forever, 

Lest any come in 
To soil the snow of our vesture 

With lingers of sin ; 
But lost in visions supernal 

We wait till the King 
The gates of the city eternal 

Wide open shall swing. 



**HE KNOWETH YE HAVE NEEDr 

ACROSS the discord of our lives comes 
lowly 
One harmony our hearts too seldom heed, 
The comfort given us by the Teacher holy : 
" He knoweth ye have need." 

He sends the dew-drop for the flowers' drink- 
ing ; 
He slants His sunshine on the waiting grain ; 



l66 '' HE KNOWETH YE HA VE NEEDr 



And when the leaves with summer's heat are 
shrinking 
He sfiveth them His rain. 



&* 



Good gifts from out His ever-open hand 
On everything around are freely thrown ; 

And thinkest thou, O heart, He will withstand 
Thy prayer alone ? 

O men and women, saddened in the living, 
Smiles on the lip and sorrow in the heart, 

Open your souls more fully for receiving : 
Accept your part. 

Sad, aching eyes, that through the mists of 
sorrow 
See all things by your blindness rendered 
dim, 
Grief lasts to-day, but joy shall come to-mor- 
row ; 
Look up ! and trust in Him. 

For still that sweet voice of the Father's send- 

Of Him who knows how human hearts can 
bleed. 
Says to the weary ones before Him bending, 
" He knoweth ye have need ;" 



I, 



PENITENTIAL HYMN. igy 

Knoweth the need and careth for the needing. 
Although His way is seldom quite our way. 

And smiles to see how sadly we are treading 
The path that leads to-day. 

Then unto our greatest need replying, 

That need of rest which every soul doth 
keep. 

Upon His breast, like little children lying. 
He giveth us His sleep. 



PENITENTIAL HYMN. 

AS Mary knelt, and dropped her tears, 
So, gracious Lord, would we ; 
And pour the ointment of our hearts. 
Our choicest love, on Thee. 

Oh, the sweet joys of penitence ! 

We trust Thee, and adore ; 
We wonder at Thy gracious word, 

" Arise, and sin no more." 

Thou dost forget our sinful past. 

Thou takest off the stain ; 
Bathed in the ocean of Thy love, 

Our souls are pure again. 

We come with sad, confessing lips. 
For Thy forgiving touch ; 



1 68 PREVENTING MERCIES. 



And Thou dost thrill us with the words. 
That we have loved Thee much. 

We raise our tearful eyes to Thee, 
And meet Thy smile divine ; 

Where shall we look, O pitying Christ ! 
For tenderness like Thine ? 

We hide our souls in Thee, O Lord ! 

In Thee we seek our rest ; 
Oh ! raise us from Thy sacred feet. 

To lean upon Thy breast. 



PREVENTING MERCIES. 
Psalm Ixxix. 8. 

THE hawthorn hedge that keeps us from 
intruding, 
Looks verv fierce and bare 
When stripjied by winter, every branch pro- 
truding 
Its thorns that wound and tear. 

But spring-time comes ; and like the rod that 
budded. 

Each twig breaks out in green ; 
And cushions soft of tender leaves are studded. 

Where spines alone are seen. 



PREVENTING MERCIES. 169 

And honeysuckle, its bright wreath upbearing, 

The prickly top adorns ; 
Its golden trumpets victory declaring 

Of blossoms over thorns. 

Nature in this mule parable unfoldeth 

A lesson sweet to me ; 
God's goodness in reproof my eye beholdeth, 

And His severity. 

There is no grievous chastening but combineth 
Some brightness with the gloom j 

Round every thorn in the flesh there twineth 
Some wreath of softening bloom. 

The sorrows that to us seem so perplexing, 

Are mercies kindly sent. 
To guard our wayward souls from sadder vex- 
ing. 

And greater ills prevent. 

Like angels stern, they meet us when we wander 

Out of the narrow track, 
With sword in hand, and yet with voices tender, 

To warn us quickly back. 

We fain would eat the fruit that is forbidden, 
Not heeding what God saith ; 

But by these flaming cherubim we're chidden, 
Lest we should pluck our death. 



1 7 O PREVENTING MERCIES. 

To save us from the pit, no screen of roses 
Would serve for our defense, 

The hindrance that completely interposes 
Stings back like thorny fence. 

At first, when smarting- from the shock, com- 
plaining 

Of wounds that freely bleed, 
God's hedges of severity us paining. 

May seem severe indeed. 

No tender veil of heavenly verdure brightens 
The branches fierce and bare ; 

No sun of comfort the dark sky enlightens. 
Or warms the wintry air. 

But afterwards, God's blessed spring - time 
cometh, 

And bitter murmurs cease ; 
The sharp severity that pierced us bloometh, 

And yields the fruits of peace. 

The Wreath of Life its healing leaves discovers 
Twined round each woundino- stem, 

And climbing by the thorns, above them hovers 
Its flowery diadem. 

The last Great Day, each secret deep revealing, 
Shall teach us what we owe 



REST. 



171 



To these prcDentrng mercies, thus concealing 
Themselves in masks of woe ; 

What sunken rocks they showed, on which un- 
witting 
Our souls would have been wrecked ; 
What deadly sins they kept us from commit- 
ting, 
What lust and pride they checked. 

Then let us sing, our guarded way thus wend- 
ing. 

Life's hidden snares among, 
Of mercy and of judgment sweetly blending ; 

Earth's sad but lovely song. 



REST. 

" Thou hast made us for Thyself, and the heart never 
resteth till it findeth rest in Thee." — St. Augustini:. 

MADE for Thyself, O God ! 
Made for Thy love, Thy service. Thy 
delight ; 
Made to show forth Thy wisdom, grace, and 

might ; 
Made for Thy praise, whom veiled archangels 

laud ! 
O strange and glorious thought, that we may be 
A joy to Thee I 



172 



COMMUNION HYMN. 



Yet the heart turns away 
From the grand destiny of bliss, and deems 
'Twas made for its poor self, for passing dreams. 
Chasing illusions, melting day by day, 
T\\\,for ourselves, we read on this world's best : 

" This is not rest ! " 

Nor can the vain toil cease. 
Till, in the shadowy maze of life, w^e meet 
One who can guide our aching, wayward feet 
To find Himself — our Way, our Life, our Peace. 
In Him, the long unrest is soothed and stilled ; 

Our hearts are filled. 

O rest so true, so sweet ! 
Would it were shared by all the weary world ! 
'Neath shadowing banner of His love unfurled 
We bend to kiss the Master's pierced feet. 
Then lean our love upon His boundless breast. 

And know God's rest ! 



COMMUNION HYMN. 

"This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." — 
Luke xv. 2. 

'XT'OT worthy, Lord, to gather up the crumbs 
1 N With trembling hand that from Thy 
table fall, 



COMMUNION HYMN. 173 

A weary heavy-laden sinner comes 

To plead Thy promise and obey Thy call. 

I am not worthy to be thought Thy child, 
Nor sit the last and lowest at Thy board ; 

Too long a wanderer, and too oft beguiled, 
I only ask one reconciling word. 

One word from Thee, my Lord, one smile, one 
look. 

And I could face the cold, rough world again ; 
And with that treasure in my heart could brook 

The wrath of devils and the scorn of men. 

And is not mercy Thy prerogative ; 

Free mercy, boundless, fathomless, Divine } 
Me, Lord, the chief of sinners, me forgive ! 

And Thine the greater glory, only Thine. 

I hear Thy voice ; Thou bidst me come and 
rest. 

I come, I kneel, I clasp Thy pierced feet ; 
Thou bidst me take my place, a welcome guest 

Among Thy saints, and of Thy banquet eat. 

My praise can only breathe itself in prayer. 

My prayer can only lose itself in Thee ; 
Dwell Thou forever in my heart, and there, 
Lord, let me sup with Thee ; sup Thou with me. 



174 



THE PERFECT DA Y. 



THE PERFECT DA V. 

" Until the day break and the shadows flee away." — Can- 
ticles xi. 17. 

DARK I's the sky that overhangs my soul. 
The mists are thick that through the 
valley roll, 
But as I tread I cheer my heart and say, 
When the day breaks the shadows Hee away. 

Unholy phantoms from the deep arise, 

And gather through the gloom before mine 

eyes ; 
But all shall vanish at the dawning ray ; 
When the day breaks the shadows flee away. 

I bear the lamp my Master gave to me, 
Burning and shining must it ever be. 
And I must tend it till the night decay. 
Till the day break and shadows flee away. 

He maketh all things good unto His own, 
For them in every darkness light is sown : 
He will make good the gloom of this my day. 
Till that day break and shadows flee away. 



I 



/ GAZED UPON THE BITTER CROSS. 



175 



/ GAZED UPON THE BITTER CROSS. 

~r GAZED upon the bitter Cross, and sought 
~L My spirit to subdue to mournfulness 

That I might follow in His deep distress 
The wounded Lamb of God ; but vainly brought 
My will to sadness-every grieving thought ' 
Turned to a holy calm of thankfulness. 

I thought on Pain, and straightway answered 
Peace, 

On Death, but Life immortal made reply 
The tears of sorrow gathered in mine eye 
Only to feel sweet Comfort bid them cease •' 
Evermore Faith would thoughts of Love 'in- 
crease. 

Through every cloud still gleamed cerulean 
sky. 

I sought, O Jesus, to be sad with Thee, 
And thus I learned the secret of Thy woe • 
That it was mine, Thou camest down to 
know 
That I the fullness of Thy joy might see ; 
That Thy sore trial might bring rest to me ; 
Waters of comfort from the pierced Rock 
flow. 



176 FAITH. 

I took the Cross which came to me, to bear, 
Praying for patience 'neath its heaviness, 
For strength to struggle on in weariness ; 

For my Lord's sake His rugged path to share ; 

And lo ! upon the twihght of my ease, 

Broke the calm morning light of blessedness. 

Thus, if we would His consolations prove. 
In taking up our Cross, we lay it down, 
For He doth haste to make it all His own ; 

Our enmity doth reconcile with love ; 

Affliction ever softening from above, 

And holding in our sight a heavenly crown. 



FA ITU, 

I THANK Thee, Lord, that Thou hast kept 
The best in store ; 
We have enough, yet not too much 

To long for more ; 
A yearning for a deeper peace 
Not known before. 

I thank Thee, Lord, that here our souls, 

Though amply blest, 
Can never find, although they seek, 

A perfect rest — 
Nor ever shall, until they lean 

On Jesus' breast. 



HEART VENTURES. 



177 



HEART VENTURES. 

I STOOD and watched my ships go out 
Each one by one, unmooring free. 
What time the quiet harbor filled 
With flood-tide from the sea. 

The first that sailed, her name was Joy, 
She spread a smooth, white, ample sail ; 

And eastward drove with bending spars 
Before the singing gale. 

Another sailed, her name was Hope, 
No cargo in her hold she bore ; 

Thinking to find in Western lands 
Of merchandise a store. 

The next that sailed, her name was Love, 
She showed a red flag at the mast — 

A flag as red as blood she showed, 
And she sped South right fast. 

The last that sailed, her name was Faith, 
Slowly she took her passage forth ; 

Tacked and lay-to : at last she steered 
A straight course for the North, 

My gallant ships they sailed away, 
O'er the shimmering summer sea, 
12 



178 THE SILENT GOD. 

I stood at watch for many a day — 
But one came back to me. 

For Joy was caught by Pirate Pain — 
Hope ran upon a hidden reef — 

And Love took fire and foundered fast 
In whehiiing seas of Grief. 

Faith came at last, storm-beat and torn, 
She recompensed me all my loss ; 

For as a cargo safe she brought 
A crown linked to a cross. 



o 



THE SILENT GOD. 

'ER all the world the church spire rocks, 
As swing the bells and strike the clocks 

To peal the passing of the year ! 
On God's great clock-tower in the skies, 
Profoundest midnight silence lies ; 
No clangor from its bells arise ; 

No faintest sound we hear. 

Our coarse contrivances alike 
Mark time with noisy tick and strife, 
Loud peal or solemn toll. 
But noiseless on its axis turns 
The earth. The sun how silent burns 



GROW NOT OLD. 



179 



Through heaven ! A silent God, who learns 
His lessons to the soul. 

No cry rings, therefore, from His lips, 
When time is marked by sun's eclipse 
On Heaven's illumined dial-plate ! 
No sounds the seasons make as they 
Succeed each other. None as day 
Falls full on earth. Nor soars its spray 
When night's dark deluge doth abate. 

O still, small voice ! Thy whisper wakes 
More surely than though thunder breaks 

To tell the year has fled ! 
By Thee, from death aroused, I cry, 
Give now my after life, that I 
May serve Thee now as when, on high, 
Unmarked the years shall live and die, 

And time, with death, be dead ! 



GROW NOT OLD. 

"XHTEVER, my heart, wilt thou grow old ! 
1 \ My hair is white, my blood runs cold. 
And one by one my powers depart, 
But youth sits smiling in my heart. 

Downhill the path of age ? O no. 
Up, up, with patient steps I go ; 



l8o EVER Y DA Y 



I watch the skies fast brightening there, 
I breathe a sweeter, purer air. 

Beside my road small tasks spring up. 
Though but to hand the cooHng cup, 
Speak the true word of hearty cheer. 
Tell the lone soul that God is near. 

Beat on, my heart, and grow not old ! 
And when thy pulses all are told, 
Let me, though working, loving still, 
Kneel as I meet my Father's will. 



E VER V DA Y. 

O TRIFLING task so often done, 
Yet ever to be doiie anew ! 
O cares which come with every sun, 

Morn after morn, the long years through ! 
We sink beneath their paltry sway — 
The irksome calls of every day. 

The restless sense of wasted power, 

The tiresome sound of little thing's, 
Are hard to bear, as hour by hour 
Its tedious iteration brings ; 
Who shall evade or who delay 
The small demands of everv dav ? 



I 



EVERY DA v. i8l 

The boulder in the torrent's course 

By tide and tempest lashed in vain, 
Obeys the wave-whirled pebble's force, 
And yields its substance grain by grain ; 
So crumble strongest lives away 
Beneath the wear of every day. 

Who finds the lion in his lair. 

Who tracks the tiger for his life, 
May wound them ere they are aware. 
Or conquer them in desperate strife. 
Yet powerless he to scathe or slay 
The vexing gnats of every day. 

The steady strain that never stops 

Is mightier than the fiercest shock ; 
The constant fall of water-drops 
Will groove the adamantine rock ; 
We feel our noblest powers decay, 
In feeble wars with every day. 

We rise to meet a heavy blow — 

Our souls a sudden bravery fills — 
But we endure not always so 
The drop by drop of little ills ; 
We still deplore and still obey 
The hard behests of every day. 

The heart which boldly faces death 
Upon the battle-field, and dares 



l82 



LORD, HELP ME / 



Cannon and bayonet, faints beneath 
The needle-points of frets and cares ; 
The stoutest spirits they dismay 
The tiny stings of every day. 

And even saints of holy fame, 

Whose souls by faith have overcome, 
Who wore amid the cruel tlame 
The molten crown of martyrdom, 
Bore not without complaint alway 
The petty pains of every day. 

Ah, more than martj-r's aureole. 

And more than hero's heart of fire, 
We need the humble strength of soul 
Which daily toils and ills require ; — 
Sweet Patience ! grant us, if you may, 
An added grace for every day ! 



LORD, HELP ME! 

THE way seems dark about me ; overhead 
The clouds have long since met in gloomy 
spread ; 
And when I looked to see the daybreak through. 
Cloud after cloud came up with volume new. 

And in that shadow I have passed along. 
Feeling" myself grow weak as it grew strong ; 



L ORD, HELP ME t 1 3 ^ 

Walking in doubt, and searching- for the way, 
And often at a stand— as now to-day. 

And if before me on the path there lies 
A spot of brightness from imagined skies. 
Imagined shadows foil across it too, 
And the far future takes the present's hue. 

Perplexities do throng upon my sight, 

Like scudding fog-banks, to obscure the light ; 

Some new dilemma rises every day. 

And I can only shut my eyes and pray. 

Lord, I am not sufficient for these things. 
Give me the light that Thy sweet presence 

brings ! 
Give me Thy grace, give me Thy constant 

strength : 
Lord, for my comfort now appear at length ! 

It may be that my way doth seem confused. 
Because my heart of Thy way is afraid ; 

Because my eyes have constantly refused 
To see the only opening Thou hast made. 

Because my will would cross some flowery plain, 
When Thou hast thrown a hedge from side 
to side ; 

And turneth from the stormy walk of pain. 
Its trouble or its ease not even tried. 



184 CLEANSING FIRES . 

If thus I try to force my way along, 

The smoothest road encumbered is for me, 

For were I as an angel, swift and strong, 
I could not go unless allured by Thee. 

And now, I pray Thee, Lord, to lead Thy child — 
Poor wretched wanderer from Thy grace and 
love — 

Whatever way Thou pleasest through the wild. 
So it but take her to Thy home above. 



CLEANSING FIRES. 

LET thy gold be cast in the furnace ; 
Thy red gold precious and bright ; 
Do not fear the hungry fire, 

With its caverns of burning light : 
And thy gold shall return more precious, 

Free from every spot and stain ; 
For gold must be tried by fire, 
And a heart must be tried by pain ! 

In the cruel fire of sorrow 

Cast thy heart, do not faint or wail : 
Let thy hand be firm and steady, 

Do not let thy spirit quail ; 
But wait till the trial is over, 

And take thy heart again ; 
For as gold is tried by fire, 

So a heart must be tried by pain ! 



i\ 



TWILIGHT. 



185 



I shall know by the gleam and glitter 

Of the golden chain you wear, 
By your heart's calm strength in loving, 

Of the fire they have had to bear. 
Beat on, true heart, for ever 

Shine bright, strong golden chain ; 
And bless the cleansing fire. 

And furnace of living pain ! 



T W I L I G H T. 

BEND down from heaven. Almighty Love ; 
The fullness of Thy grace impart ; 
Fold Thy soft wings. Eternal Dove, 
Over my weary heart ! 

The day is ended ; all its pain 

And all its sin are known to Thee ; 
Heal Thou the wound, make white the stain, 

My burdened soul set free. 

Enough of sorrow and of sin ; 

I put the weary thoughts away : 
The door is open now ; come in, 

O Heavenly Guest, and stay ! 

Be Thou my teacher ; let me learn ; 

Here at Thy feet my place shall be ; 



iS6 



.-1 Sr/KA T/OXS. 



Like Mar\% I would gladly turn 

From earthly cares to Thee. 

The sunset sky is bright and clear ; 

A crimson sea with shores of gold ; 
So soft the hues, we need not fear 

Their glory to behold. 

The blinding splendor of the sun 

Is here revealed to mortal sight ; 

So Thou, O Father, art made known 
In Christ, the Light of Light ! 

Thy power in Nature I can trace, 

Thy justice in my trembling heart ; 

But only in the Saviour's face 
I see Thee as Thou art. 

O Son of God ! O Truth divine ! 

With warming grace my soul restore ; 
Lighten my darkness, rise and shine, 

Both now and evermore. 



A 



ASPIRATIOXS. 

H. Lord I to be 
The least of all that wait on Thee ; 
To stand as one 



ASPIRATIONS. 187 

Whose loins are girt witli power to run 

The appointed race, 
Upheld by meekness, truth, and grace ; 

To whom, beside, 
All else with Christ is crucified. 

And loss is gain ; 
To whom Thy love is Peace in pain. 

As one who hears — 
Beyond the tumult ot the years, 

The strife, the sin. 
The tribulation, toil, and tears, — 

Thy words of mercy, " Enter in !" 

Ah, Lord ! that I may be 
This chosen vessel meet for Thee ; 

That I, so poor. 
May joy o'er Thy great wealth in store ; 

That I, so frail, weak, — utterly — 
May strengthened be of Thine and Thee ; 

That I, so vile, 
May yet rejoice me in the smile 
Of Him who died the death for me ; — 

That I, indeed, may feel 
The Lord my passionate appeal will hear ; 
And in His own good time make clear 
Of these my torments. Doubt and Fear. 

But what am I 



t88 ASPIRATIONS. 



To stand without and call and cry ? 

Behold, I plead, 
In this mine hour of utmost need, 
The unimaginable pain 
Of Him, the guiltless, scourged, and slain 

For me. 
O Lamb of God ! mine eyes to Thee 

I lift, as one 
Who watcheth for the morning suu — 

In mercy visit me ! 

I stand awhile 
To view, beneath the dim defile, 
Through which the Lord my doubtful way 
Hath wrought from darkness into day : 
And shall I falter here ? 

I stand before 

The temple door, 
And wait until my Lord appear. 

For this I surely know : 
The grace of Jesus hitherto, 

Alone, hath kept 
Me in the dark where conscience slept : 

And straight and plain 
Through all the past, or peace or pain, 

I mark and prove 
The guiding of the Lord of Love. 



WA I TING FOR yESUS. 189 

Lord Jesus grant me grace 
And meekness in Thy Holy Place ; 

A spirit fine 
To cleave the gross, and calm resign 

My very life, if life it be, 
That separates my soul and Thee. 



WAITING FOR yESUS. 

" "TESUS, I wait!" Last words breathed 
tJ soft and low 

From dying lips grown tremulous and faint : 
O great Life-giver, Thou didst surely know 

The yearnings of Thy Saint ! 

Waiting — a moment only — just a pause, 
A hush before the music had begun ; 

A silence ere the cloudy veil withdraws, 
And the bright Home is won. 

"Jesus, I wait !" Was He not waiting, too. 
With hands outstretched in welcome, and 
with eyes 

Brimful of love, to guide His serv^ant through 
The gates of Paradise ? 

O calm, safe rest ; all sorrows passed away 
Like twilight mists before a risen moon ; 



I no WAITING FOR JESUS. 

O blessed close to life's most weary day, 
O peace, attained so soon ! 

Teach us to live, and, living, wait for Thee, 
Redeemer — making life and labor sweet ; 

Watching and working till our eyes shall see 
Thy face they long to greet. 

Our highest earthly bliss to do Thy will ; 

Our hope, the promise of Thy great reward ; 
Our effort, all Thy purpose to fulfill. 

And magnify the Lord. 

Teach us to wait, — as waits the ripened corn 
In golden fullness for the reaper's hand ; 

Wait for Thy garner, when the harvest morn 
Dawns o'er the weary land. 

And Thou wilt come with radiant angel train, 
Lord of the harvest, claiming all Thine own. 

Then shall we greet our dearest ones again, 
And know as we are known. 

Then shall the endless Festival begin, 

And the long waiting as a dream go past ; 

For love, triumphant over death and sin, 
Shall reign supreme at last. 



AN EVENING PR A YER. 



191 



AN E VENING PR A YER. 

MY Father ! God of life and light, 
Ere evening's hour hath ebb'd away, 
Before Thy throne of grace to-night 
I offer up this closing day. 

Fresh from Thy hand, this morn it rose 

Divinely fair, sublimely meet ; 
I bring it back at evening's close, 

Alas ! how changed, how incomplete ! 

One plea alone my heart can claim 
For such a tribute, soil'd and dim ; 

I offer it in Jesu's name. 
Make Thou its darkness light in Him. 

I bring Thee all this day hath brought, 
Its storms atid sunshine, joy and pain ; 

Its every word and deed and thought ; 
Its hope and fear, its loss and gain. 

I bring to Thee, to purify. 

Its few faint thoughts of Thee and Heaven ; 
I bring Thee all its tears to dry, 

And all its sins to be forgiven. 

I lay before Thy pitying gaze 



192 AN E VENING PR A YER. 

Its joys to bless, its wounds to cure ; 
I bring it all to speak Thy praise, 
And tell of Thy compassion sure. 

And now, O Lord my God, or ere 

This day in sleep forgotten be, 
Its dying breath must rise in prayer. 

And bear my latest thought to Thee ! 

And since, perchance, no morrow's light 
May greet mine ear with wakening call. 

In Thy good care I leave this night 
Myself, my life, my heart, mine all ! 

The loved ones, those I hold so dear, 

Be pleased, sweet Lord, to guard and keep ! 

To all their hearts this night draw near. 
And tend and bless them while they sleep. 

My human love, so incomplete. 

Where can its longings find their rest, 

Except to lay them at Thy feet. 
Who knowest all, and lovest best ? 

On eyes that weep, on hearts that bleed. 
May all Thy richest blessings fall ; 

I ask Thy help for all who need. 
And asking this, I pray for all. 



SCHOOL LIFE. 



193 



And if to morn in safety brought, 

Grant that sweet breathings, pure and true, 

May rest on each awakening thought, 
As on fresh flowers the early dew. 

Thus, Lord, this night I yield to Thee ; 

Or if I sleep, or if I wake, 
Whate'er I have, whate'er I be, 

Bid me good-night for Jesus' sake. 



SCHOOL LIFE. 

I SAT in the school of sorrow. 
The Master was teaching there ; 
But my eyes were dim with weeping, 
And my heart was full of care. 

Instead of looking upward 
And seeing His face divine. 

So full of the tenderest pity 
For weary hearts like mine, 

I only thought of the burdens, 
The cross that before me lay. 

So hard and heavy to carry 

That it darkened the light of day. 

So, I could not learn my lesson, 
13 



194 



SCHOOL LIFE. 



And say, Thy will be done ; 
And the Master came not near me 
As the weary hours went on. 

At last, in my weary soitow, 
I looked from the cross above ; 

And I saw the Master watching 
With a glance of tender love. 

He turned to the cross before me. 
And I thought I heard Him say : 

" My child, thou must bear thy burden. 
And learn thy task to-day. 

" I may not tell the reason, 

'Tis enough for thee to know 
That I, the Master, am teaching,. 
And give this cup of woe." 

So I stooped to that weaiy sorrow ; 

One look at that face Divine 
Had given me power to trust Him, 

And say, T/iy will, noi mine'' 

And thus I learned my lesson. 
Taught by the Master alone ; 

He only knows the tears I shed. 
But He has wept His own. 



THE FA IN TING HE A RT. j q ^ 

And from them come a brightness 
Straight from the Home above, 

Where the School Life will be ended, 
And the cross will show the love. 



THE FAINTING HEART. 

O HEART that, sad and weary, 
Dost count thy load too great, 
Thy night too dark and dreary. 

The way too desolate ; 
Take comfort in Thy sorrow, 

God sets an end to woe ; 
There comes a happy morrow, 
A day thy Lord doth know. 

Not clear nor dark that morning, 

That time not day nor night ; 
Peace broods upon its dawning, 

Secure and infinite. 
It sees no clouds o'ercasting 

Its sunshine evermore ; 
No tears, no pain, no fasting, 

The vigil eve is o'er. 

For shame thou shalt have double. 

For one deep sob of woe, 
One moment sore of trouble. 



196 ART THOU WEARY ? 

Eternal bliss shall know. 
There endless is thy pleasure. 

There countless is thy gain, 
Past all degree and measure. 

Reward shall comfort pain. 

No more with grief and sighing 

Thou drawest painful breath ; 
There shall be no more crying. 

There shall be no more death. 
Such festival is holden - 

Where all God's saints shall be, 
Where seers and prophets olden 

Shall keep the feast with thee. 



ART THOU IVEARY, ART THOU 
LANGUID? 

St. Matthew 11 :33. 

ART thou weary, art thou languid. 
Art thou sore distrest } 
" Come to Me," saith One, " and coming, 
Be at rest." 

Hath He marks to lead me to Him, 

If He be my guide ? 
" In His feet and hands are wound-prints. 

And His side." 



ART THOU IVEARV? 



197 



Is there diadem, as monarch. 

That His brow adorns ? 
"Yea, a crown, of very surety. 

But of thorns." 

If I find Him, if I follow, 

What is guerdon here ? 
" Many a sorrow, many a labor. 

Many a tear." 

If I still hold closely to Him, 

What hath He at last } 
" Sorrow vanquished, labor ended, 

Jordan past." 

If I ask Him to receive me. 

Will He say me nay ? 
" Not till earth, and not till heaven 

Pass away." 

Finding, following, keeping, struggling, 

Is He sure to bless? 
" Saints, Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, 

Answer, Yes." 



1^8 THE BORDER LAND. 



THE BORDER LAND. 

1HAVE been to a land, a Border Land, 
Where there was but a strange, dim light ; 
Where shadows and dreams, in a spectral band 

Seem'd real to the aching sight. 
I scarce bethought me how there I came, 

Or if thence I should pass again ; 
Its morning and night were mark'd by the 
flight, 
Or coming, of woe and pain. 

But I saw from this land, this Border Land, 

With its mountain ridges hoar. 
That they look'd across to a wondrous strand ; 

A bright and unearthly shore. 
Then I turned me to Him, ''the Crucified,'* 

In most humble faith and prayer. 
Who had ransom 'd with blood my sinful soul. 

For I thought He would call me there. 

Yet nay : for awhile in the Border Land 

He bade me in patience stay. 
And gather rich fruits with a trembling hand, 

W^hilst He chased its glooms away ; 
He had led me amid those shadows dim, 

And shown that bright world so near. 



THE BORDER LAND. 



199 



To teach me that earnest trust in Him 
Is " the one thing needful" here. 

And so far from the land, the Border Land, 

I have turned me to earth once more ; 
But earth and its works were such trifles, 
scann'd 

By the light of that radiant shore. 
And oh ! should they ever possess me again 

Too deeply, in heart and hand, 
I must think how empty they seem'd, and vain, 

From the heights of the Border Land. 

The Border Land hath depths and vales, 

Where sorrow for sin was known ; 
Where small seem'd great, as weighed in scales, 

Held by God's hand alone. 
*Twas a land where earthly pride was naught. 

Where the poor were brought to mind. 
With their scanty bed, their tireless cot. 

And their bread so hard to find. 

But little I heard in the Border Land, 

Of all that passed below ; 
The once loud voices of human life 

To the deafened ear were low. 
I was deaf to the clang of its trumpet call. 

And alike to its gibe or its sneer ; 



200 THE BORDER LAND. 



Its riches were dust, and the loss of all 
Would then scarce have cost a tear. 

I met with a Friend in this Border Land, 

Whose teachings can come with power 
To the blinded eye and the deafen'd ear, 

In affliction's loneliest hour. 
"Times of refreshing" to the soul, 

In languor, oft he brings, 
Prepares it then to meditate 

On high and glorious things. 

Oh ! Holy Ghost ! too often grieved 

In health and earthly haste, 
I bless those. slow and silent hours 

Which seem'd to run to waste. 
I would not but have pass'd those " depths," 

And such communion known. 
As can be held in the Border Land 

With Thee, and Thee alone. 

I have been to a land, a Border Land ! 

May oblivion never roll 
O'er the mighty lessons which there and then 

Have been graven on my soul ! 
I have trodden a path I did not know. 

Safe in my Saviour's hand : 
I can trust Him for all the future, now 

I have been to the Border Land. 



LOVEST THOU ME ? 2OI 



LOVE ST THOU ME? 

DO I not love Thee ? Thou whose patient 
feet 
Pressed Olivet's green slopes, or wearily, 
Day after day, along- the city's street, 
'Mid toil and heat. 
Bore the hard lot of our humanity ? 

Do I not love Thee ? Thou who stood beside 
The sorrowing sisters, and gave back the life. 
Dearer than Hfe to them, nor yet denied. 
Oh, crucified ! 
The Ruler's prayer, with love's keen anguish 
rife ? 

Whose gentle words of tenderest pity, drew 
Young children to Thine arms in fond em- 
brace. 
While benedictions sweet as evening dew — 
Ah ! happy few — 
Fell on each shining head and upturned face ? 

Aye, in our mortal guise, my heart to Thee 
Turns with a love, which every thought o'er- 
whelms. 
And calls Thee by that sweetest name to me, 



202 LOVEST THOU ME» 



Breathed reverently, 
" Our elder brother, like unto ourselves." 

I feel that I may love Thee as the Babe 

Of Bethlehem's manger, as the wondrous 
Boy 
Among the temple doctors, strangely brave. 
As He who gave 
The wine mysterious, 'mid the marriage joy — 

In fisher boats upon Tiberias Sea, 

Or with Samaria's daughter at the well, 

Feeding the multitudes who followed Thee, 
Or patiently 
Teaching, high truths in glowing parable. 

But Thou art gone, the blue o'er-arching sky 
Hath hid Thee from our earnest upward gaze. 

At God's right hand in peerless majesty 
Thou sitt'st eternally. 
Enthroned supreme, through everlasting days. 

Circled with light, by countless hosts adored ; 

Back to those glorious realms in triumph led. 
How can my puny love pursue the road 
Which saints have trod, 

But where my weak affection fails to tread ? 

How, dazed and blinded, can I e'er attain 



LOVE ST THOU ME ? 



203 



Those radiant heights of glories manifold ? 
My heart climbs after Thee in vain, in vain 
I still complain, — 
Have pity, for my warmest love is cold. 

Cold to the matchless love which paid for me 
A mighty ransom, won through shame and 
loss, — 
The scourge, the crown, the garden's agony, 
The night of Calvary, 
The dripping life-blood and the cruel cross ! 

O for a glance of Thy kind human face ! 

Then might I love Thee as I long to do. 
If its pure lineaments I could but trace 
One moment's space. 
Would not my vowed affection prove more 
true ? 

Would I not press, like Mary, to Thy feet, 
Who poured the perfumed oil with rev'rent 
touch ? 
And hear, perchance. Thy gracious lips repeat, 
In accents sweet, 
" Her sins are pardoned, for she loveth much." 

She loveth much, O wandering heart of mine ! 
When shall this blest assurance be Thine 
own? 



204 ^^^^ SVJfPA THY OF JESUS, 



Saviour, Redeemer, human yet Divine, 
Each throb be Thine, 
And for my lack may Thy great love atone. 



THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 
Isaiah 32 : 18. 

ryiHERE is a secret place of rest 
JL God's saints alone may know ; 
Thou shalt not find it east nor west, 

Though seeking to and fro. 
A cell where Jesus is the door, 

His love the only key : 
Who enter will go out no more. 

But there with Jesus be. 

If thou hadst dwelt within that place, 

Then would thine heart the while, 
In vision of the Saviour's face, 

Forget all other smile ; 
Forget the charm earth's waters had. 

If once thy foot had trod 
Beside the river 'that makes glad 

The city of our God. 

If once such joy had filled thine heart. 

Earth's hatred, or earth's scorn, 
Would seem but as a moment's smart. 



OH, WEARY IN THE MORNING. 205 

Forgot as soon as borne. 
Nay, thou in pain, or shame, or loss, 

Christ's fellowship would see, 
And with thine heart embrace the cross 

On which He hung for thee. 

Wouldst count it blest to live, to die. 

Where He is all in all : 
Where rapt, earth unperceived goes by. 

And from ourselves we fall. 
Till, from His secret place below. 

To mansions fair abo\ e. 
He leads thee, there to make' thee know 

The perfect joys of love. 



OH, WEAR V IN THE MORNING. 

St. John 16: 33. 

OH, weary in the morning. 
When soft the dewdrops fall. 
And weary at the noontide, 

When God's sun shines on all ; 
And weary at the nightfall. 

When, each day's labor o'er, 
I count my misspent moments 
As lost for evermore. 



2o6 OHy WEARY IN THE MORNING. 



Oh, weary of the turmoil, 

The striving, and the care. 
And weary of the burthen 

Which we of earth must bear ; 
Oh, weary of vain longings, 

And weary with vain fears. 
And wearier with heart-sorrows 

Than with the weight of years. 

Yet like a ray of sunlight, 

The Word shines through the gloom, 
And after v/inter's darkness 

Comes spring in fresher bloom ; 
And after vainly searching, 

We find a resting meet ; 
For rest, and hope, and glory 

Are found at Jesus' feet. 

God never sends a sorrow 

Without the healing balm. 
And bids us fight no battles 

But for the victor's palm. 
Yet we by earth's mist blinded. 

Knew not His holy will, 
Till o'er the troubled waters 

His voice said, " Peace, be still ! " 



We will go forth and conquer. 
Depending on His grace ; 



GO NOT FAR FROM ME. 



207 



The lowliest station near Him 
Must be an honored place ! 

And after battle, victory ; 
And after victory, rest — 

Like the beloved apostle. 
Upon the Master's breast ! 



GO NOT FAR FROM ME. 

aO not far from me, O my strength. 
Whom all my times obey ; * 
Take from me anything Thou wilt. 

But go not Thou away, — 
And let the storm that does Thy work 
Deal with me as it may. 

On Thy compassion I repose, 

In weakness and distress : 
I will not ask for greater ease. 

Lest I should love Thee less. 
Oh, 'tis a blessed thing for me 

To need Thy tenderness. 

While many sympathizing hearts 

For my deliverance care. 
Thou, in Thy wiser, stronger love, 

Art teaching me to bear — 



2o8 GO NOT FAR FROM ME. 



By the sweet voice of thankful song, 
And calm, confiding prayer. 

Thy love has many a lighted path, 

No outward eye can trace. 
And my heart sees Thee in the deep, 

With darkness on its face, 
And communes with Thee, 'mid the storm, 

As in a secret place. 

O comforter of God's redeemed. 
Whom the world does not see. 

What hand should pluck me from the flood, 
That casts my soul on Thee ? 

Who would not suffer pain like mine. 
To be consoled like me } 

When I am feeble as a child, 
And flesh and heart give way, 

Then on Thy everlasting strength, 
With passive trust I stay. 

And the rough wind becomes a song. 
The darkness shines like day. 

Oh, blessed are the eyes that see. 
Through silent anguish show. 

The love that in their hours of sleep, 
Unthanked may come and go. 




I 



GO NO T FAR FROM ME. 2 O Q 

And blessed are the ears that hear, 
Though kept awake by woe. 

Happy are they that learn, in Thee, 
Though patient suffering teach, 

The secret of enduring strength, 
And praise too deep for speech — 

Peace that no pressure from without, 
No strife within, can reach. 

There is no death for me to fear, 
For Christ, my Lord, hath died ; 

There is no curse in this my pain. 
For He was crucified. 

And it vs, fedoivship with Him 
.That keeps me near His side. 

My heart is fixed, O God, my strength — 

My heart is strong to bear ; 
I will be joyful in Thy love. 

And peaceful in Thy care. 
Deal with me, for my Saviour's sake, 

According to His prayer. 

No suffering while it lasts is joy, 

How blest soe'er it be — 
Yet may the chastened child be glad 

His Father's face to see ; 
14 



2IO 



GO NOT FAR FROM ME. 



And oh, it is not hard to bear 
What must be borne in Thee. 

It is not hard to bear by faith, 

In. Thy own bosom laid, 
The trial of a soul redeemed, 

For Thy rejoicing made. 
Well may the heart in patience rest, 

That none can make afraid. 



Safe in Thy sanctifying grace,- 

Almighty to restore — 
Borne onward — sin and death behind. 

And love and life before — 
Oh, let my soul abound in hope. 

And praise Thee more and more ! 

Deep unto deep may call, but I 
With peaceful heart will say — 

Thy loving-kindness hath a charge 
No waves can take away ; 

And let the storm that speeds me home. 
Deal with me as it may. 



REST FROM THE BURDEN. 211 



REST FROM THE BURDEN. 

(^ OD sends sometimes a stillness in our life, 
]T" The bivouac, the sleep. 
When on the silent battle-field the strife 

Is hushed in slumber deep, 
When wearied hearts exhausted sink to rest. 
Remembering nor the struggle nor the quest. 

We know such hours, when the dim dewy night 
Bids day's hot turmoil cease ; 

When star by star steals noiselessly in sight, 
With silent smiles of peace ; 

When we lay down our load, and half forget 

The morrow comes, and we must bear it yet. 

We know such hours, when after days of pain, 
And nights when sleep was not, 

God gives us ease, and peace, and calm again, 
Till, all the past forgot. 

We say, in rest and thankfulness most deep, 

E'en so " He giveth His beloved sleep." 

When some strong chain that bound us, by 

God's strength 
Is loosed or torn apart ; 
Or when, beloved and longed for, come at 

length, 



212 



JS;JtST FROM THE BURDEN. 



Some friend makes glad our heart ; 
We know the cahn that follows on such bliss, 
That looks no farther, satisfied with this. 



God does not always loose the chain, nor give 

The loved ones back to us ; 
Sometimes 'mid strife and tumult we must live, 

Learning His silence thus : 
There is a rest for those who bear His will, 
A peacefulness than freedom sweeter still. 

He giveth rest, more perfect, pure, and true. 
While we His burthen bear ; 

It springeth not from parted pain, but through 
The accepted jjlessing there ; 

The lesson pondered o'er with thoughtful eyes. 

The faith that sees in all a meaning wise. 

Deep in the heart of pain Cod's hand hath set 

A hidden rest and bliss ; 
Take as His gift the pain, the gift brings yet 

A truer happiness : 
God's voice speaks, through it all, the high be- 
hest 
That bids His people enter into rest. 



A yVv. i J -J^/i J.VK REST IN SICKNESS. 2 1 3 



A PRA YER FOR REST IN SICKNESS. 

Psalms 41 : 3. 

LORD, a whole long day of pain 
Now at last is o'er ! 
Ah, how much we can sustain 

I have felt once more ; 
Felt how frail are all our powers, 

And how weak our trust ; 
If Thou help not, these dark hours 
Crush us to the dust. 

Could I face the coming night 

If Thou wert not near ? 
Nay, without Thy love and might 

I must sink with fear : 
Round me falls the evening gloom, 

Sights and sounds all cease. 
But within this narrow room 

Night will bring no peace. 

Other weary eyes may close, 
All things seek their sleep ; 

Hither comes no soft repose, 
1 must wake and weep. 

Come then, Jesus, o'er me bend. 
Give me strength to cope 



214 



A PR A YER FOR REST IN SICKNESS, 



With my pains, and gently send 
Thoughts of peace and hope. 

Draw my weary heart away 

From this gloom and strife, 
And these fever pains allay 

With the dew of life ; 
Thou canst calm the troubled mind ; 

Thou its dread can still ; 
Teach me to be all resigned 

To my Father's will. 

Then if I must wake and weep 

All the long night through, 
Thou the watch with me wilt keep, 

Friend and Guardian true ; 
In the darkness Thou wilt speak 

Lovingly with me. 
Though my heart may vainly seek 

Words to breathe to Thee. 

Whereso'er my couch is made, 

In Thy hands I lie ; 
And to Thee alone for aid 

Turns my restless eye : 
Let my prayer grow weary never. 

Strengthen Thou th' oppress'd, 
In Thy shadow, Lord, for ever 

Let me gently rest. 



HELPLESS. 215 



HELPLESS. 

LORD, I had planned to do Thee service 
true, 
To be more humbly watchful unto prayer. 
More faithful in obedience to Thy word. 
More bent to put away all earthly care. 

I thought of sad hearts comforted, and healed. 
Of wanderers turned into the pleasant way, 

Of little ones preserved from, sinful snare. 
Of dark homes brightened with a heavenly 
ray; 

Of time all consecrated to Thy will. 
Of strength spent gladly for Thee day by 
day, — 

When suddenly the Heavenly mandate came. 
That I should give it all, at once, away. 

Thy blessed hand came forth, and laid me 
down, 

Turned every beating pulse to throbs of pain, 
Hushed all my prayers into one feeble cry. 

Then bid me to believe that loss was gain. 

And was it loss to have indulged such hopes ? 
Nay, they were gifts, from out the inner 
shrine ; 



2 1 6 TEA CH ME TO LIVE, 



Garlands that I might hang about Thy Cross, 
Gems, to surrender at the call Divine. 

As chiseled image unresisting lies 

In niche by its own sculptor's hand designed, 
So to my unemployed and silent life 

Let me in quiet meekness be resigned. 

If works of Faith, and labors sweet of Love, 
May not be mine, yet patient Hope can be 

Within my heart, like a bright censer's fire. 
With incense of Thanksgiving mounting free. 

Thou art our Pattern to the end of time, 
O Crucified ! and perfect is Thy will ; 

The workers follow Thee in doing good, 
The helpless think of Calvary, and are still. 



TEACH ME TO LIVE. 

TEACH me to live ! 'Tis easier far to die — 
Gently and silently pass away — 
On earth's long night to close the heavy eye ' 
And waken in the glorious realms of day. 

Teach me that harder lesson — how to live. 

To serve Thee in the darkest paths of life ; 
Arm me for conflict now, fresh vigor give, 



TEA CH ME TO LIVE. 



217 



And make me more than conqueror in the 
strife. 

Teach me to live Thy purpose to fulfil : 
Bright for Thy glory let my taper shine : 

Each day renew, remould this stubborn will ; 
Closer round Thee my heart's affections 
twine. 

Teach me to live for self and sin no more ; 

But use the time remaining to me yet ; 
Not mine own pleasure seeking as before, 

Wasting no precious hours in vain regret. 

Teach me to Hve, no idler let me be. 

But in Thy service hand and heart employ, 

Prepared to do Thy bidding cheerfully — 
Be this my highest and my holiest joy. 

Teach me to live — my daily cross to bear. 
Nor murmur though I bend beneath its load, 

Only be with me ; let me feel Thee near, 
Thy smile sheds gladness on the darkest road. 

Teach me to live and find my life in Thee, 
Looking from earth and earthly things away. 

Let me not falter, but untiringly 
Press on, and gain new strength and power 
each day. 



2l8 NO T NO W. 



Teach me to live ! With kindly words for all. 
Wearing no cold, repulsive brow of gloom, 

Waiting with cheerful patience till Thy call 
Summons my spirit to her heavenly home. 



NOT NOW. 

~XT"OT now, my child, — a little more rough 
1 >l tossing, 

A little longer on the billow's foam, 
A few more journeyings in the desert darkness, 

And then the sunshine of Thy Father's home. 

Not now, for I have wanderers in the distance. 

And thou must call them in with patient 

love ; 

Not now, for I have sheep upon the mountains, 

And thou must follow them where'er they 

rove. 

Not now, for I have loved ones, sad and weary. 
Wilt thou not cheer them with a kindly smile ? 

Sick ones who need thee in their lonely sorrow. 
Wilt thou not tend them yet a little while ? 

Not now, for wounded hearts are sorely bleed- 
ing, 



NOT NO W . 219 

And thou must teach those widowed hearts 
to sing ; 
Not Jioiv, for orphans' tears are thickly falling, 

They must be gathered 'neath some shelter- 
ing wing. 

Not noWy for many a hungry one is pining, 
Thy willing hand must be outstretched and 
free ; 

Thy Father hears the mighty cry of anguish. 
And gives His answering messages to thee. 

Not nmju, for hell's eternal gulf is yawning. 
And souls are perishing in hopeless sin ; 

Jerusalem's bright gates are standing open, — 
Go to the banished ones and bring them in. 

Go with the name of Jesus to the dying. 

And speak that name in all its living power ; 
Why should thy fainting heart grow chill and 
weary, 
Canst thou not "watch with Me one little 
hour?" 

One little hour, and then the glorious crowning, 
The golden harp -strings and the victor's 
palm ; — 

One little hour, and then the Alleluia, 

Eternity's long, deep, thanksgiving psalm ! 



2 2 O THE BLESSED HE A LER. 



THE BLESSED HEALER. 
Psalms 138 : 7. 

WHEN across the heart, deep waves of 
sorrow 
Break, as on a dry and barren shore ; 
When hope glistens with no bright to-morrow, 
And the storm seems sweeping evermore. 

When the cup of every earthly gladness 
Bears no taste of the life-giving stream ; 

And high hopes, as though to mock our sad- 
ness. 
Fade and die as in some fitful dream : 

Who shall hush the weary spirit's chiding ? 

Who tlie aching void within shall fill ? 
Who shall whisper of a peace abiding, 

And each surging billow calmly still ? 

Only He whose wounded heart was broken 
With the bitter cross and thorny crown ; 

Whose dear love glad words of joy had spoken. 
Who His life for us laid meekly down. 

Blessed Healer ! all our burdens lighten ; 

Give us peace, Thine own sweet peace, we 
pray ; 
Keep us near Thee till the morn shall brighten, 

And all mists and shadows flee away ! 




BV THEE, JESUS, WILL I STAY. 221 



BY THEE, JESUS, WILL I STAY. 
St. Matthew 28 : 20. 

BY Thee, Jesus, will I stay. 
Evermore Thy servant stand ; 
From Thee my feet shall never stray, 
But I will go where points Thy hand. 

Thou ! life of all the life that's mine. 
My soul's sore-sap and vital power. 

As to its branch, from out the vine. 
Flows sap of life from hour to hour. 

Stay near me through this heat and glow, 
Stay near, too, when my day sinks down, 

And long the evening shadows grow. 
And the night comes stealing on. 

Lay in blessing, then. Thy hand 

On my weary, weakly head ; 
Saying, " Rest, child ! to the land 

Thy faith hath sought thou shalt be led." 

Stay near me ; in Thine arms enfold, 
When most the chill of death I dread ; 

Chill, like the sharp and bitter cold. 
Ere dawns in Heaven the morning red. 



22 2 PEA CEA BL E PR UIT. 



When darkness shall mine eyes o'ertake, 
Light Thou my spirit through the gloom, 

That unto me the morn may break 
As breaks to him the exile's home. 



PEACEABLE FRUIT. 

" Never the less afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit 
of righteousness." Hebrews 12 : 11. 

WHAT shall Thine "afterward" be, O 
Lord, 
For this dark and suffering night ? 
Father, what shall Thine " afterward " be ? 
Hast Thou a morning joy for me, 
And a new and joyous light ? 

What shall Thine " afterward " be, O Lord, 

For the moan that I can not stay ? 
Wilt Thou turn it to some new song of praise. 
Sweeter than sorrowless heart could raise. 
When the night hath passed away ? 

What shall Thine " afterward " be, O Lord, 

For this helplessness of pain ? 
A clearer view of my home above. 
Of my Father's strength and my Father's love ? 

Shall this be my lasting gain ? 



REST IN GOD. 



223 



What shall Thine "afterward" be, O Lord, 
How long must Thy child endure ? 

Thou knowest ! 'tis well that I know it not ! 

Thine " afterward " cometh ; I can not tell what, 
But I know that Thy word is sure. 

What shall Thine "afterward" be, O Lord? 

I wonder and wait to see ; 
(While to Thy chastening hand I bow) 
What " peaceable fruit " may be ripening now, 

Ripening fast for me ? 



REST IN GOD. 

UNDER the shadow of Thy wings, my Fa- 
ther, 
'Til these calamities be over past ! 
In that sure refuge let my spirit gather 

Strength to look calmly back upon the past. 

Be merciful to me ! for thoughts that crush me 
Lie like a weight of sorrow on my breast ; 

Only Thy voice, Omnipotent, can hush me 
Into the quiet e'en of seeming rest. 

Thou knowest — Thou only — the dark chain 
that binds me. 
The heavy chain which eats into my soul ; 



224 



REST IN COD. 



The links of adamant which have entombed me, 
Binding each feeling in their chill control. 

Oh ! what is life but one long, long endurance, 
Of this dull, heavy weight on heart and brain ? 

Speak to my spirit — speak the strong assurance 
That nothing Thou ordainest is in vain. 

Trembling amid the turmoils of existence. 
Oh ! let me grasp a more than mortal arm ; 

Father ! my Father ! be not at a distance 
When earth's dark phantoms Thy weak child 
alarm. 

Under Thy shadow ! Fear cannot appall me. 
If in the Rock of Ages surely hid. 

Under Thy shadow ! Harm cannot befall me 
If Thou — All-wise ! All-merciful !— forbid. 

Nearer to Thee ! my Saviour ! my Redeemer ! 

In earth, or heaven, whom hath my soul but 
Thee ? 
Though for an instant, as some feverish dreamer 

Grasps at the treasures which he seems to see. 



1 



I, too, have dreamed, and waked to find " illu- 
sion" 
Inscribed on all I sought to make my own. 



"/fii CARETH FOR YOUr 



225 



And turning from my idols in confusion, 
I dedicate my life to Thee alone. 



Under the shadow of Thy wing abidmg, 
Close to a sympathizing Saviour's side, 

In the sure promise of His love confiding, 
Why should I shrink, though earthly ills be- 
tide 

Oh ! if the soul grew strong through suffering 
only. 

If but through trial it may reach its goal, 
I will rejoice, although my way be lonely. 

And all Thy waves and billows o'er me roll. 

Yes ! I will praise Thee ! though my tears are 
falling 
Upon the trembling harp-string as I sing ; 
Am I not safe — though grief my soul is thrall- 
ing— 
Under the shadow of my Father's wing ? 



''HE CARETH FOR YOUr 

IF I could only surely know 
That all these things that tire me so 
Were noticed by my Lord. 
The pang that cuts me like a knife, 
15 



226 '' HE CARE TH FOR you:' 



The lesser pains of daily life, 
The noise, the weariness, the strife. 
What peace it would afford ! 

I wonder if He really shares 
In all my little human cares. 

This mighty King of kings. 
If He who guides each blazing star 
Through realms of boundless space afar 
Without confusion, sound, or jar, 

Stoops to these petty things. 

It seems to me, if sure of this. 

Blent with each ill would come such bliss, 

That I might covet pain, 
And deem whatever brought to me 
The loving thought of Deity, 
And sense of Christ's sweet sympathy. 

No loss, but richest gain. 

Dear Lord, my heart hath not a dou1)t 
That Thou dost compass me about 

With sympathy Divine. 
The love for me once crucified 
Is not a love to leave my side. 
But waiteth ever to divide 

Each smallest care of mine. 



THE FISHER, 



227 



THE FISHER. 

SORROW, and strife, and pain 
Have crushed my spirit with relentless 
hand, 
Long have I toiled, O Lord, and wrought in 
vain. 
But still at Thy command, 

Into the wide blue sea. 

Clinging to Thine own word, I cast the net ; 
The covenant was made of old with me. 

And I will trust Thee yet. 

Lord, it is hard to stand 

Waiting and watching in this silent toil, 
While other fishers draw their nets to land. 

And shout to see their spoil. 

My strength fails unawares, 

My hands are weak,~my sight grows dim 
with tears ; 
My soul is burdened with unanswered prayers, 

And sick of doubts and fears. 

I see across the deep. 

The moon cast down her fetters, silver-bright, 



228 



THE FISHER. 



As if to bind the ocean in his sleep 
With links of Hving light. 

I hear the roll and rush 

Of waves that kiss the bosom of the beach ; 
That soft sea-voice which ever seems to hush 

The tones of human speech. 

A breeze comes sweet and chill 

Over the waters, and the night wanes fast ; 
His promise fails ; the net is empty still, 

And hope's old dreams are past ! 

Slow fade the moon and stars, 

And in the east the new dawn faintly shines 
Through dim, grey shadows, flecked with pearly 
bars. 

And level silver lines. 

But lo ! what form is this 

Standing beside me on the desolate shore ? 
I bow my knees ; His garment's hem I kiss ; 

Master, I doubt no more ! 



" Draw in thy net, draw in," 

He cries, "behold the straining meshes 
break ! " 
Ah, Lord, the spoil I toiled so long to win 

Is granted for Thy sake ! 



SOME TIME. 



229 



The rosy day blooms out 

Like a full-blossomed flower ; the joyous sea 
Lifts up its voice ; the winds of morning shout 

All glory, God, to Thee ! 



SOME TIME. 

SOME time, when all life's lessons have been 
learned. 
And suns and stars for evermore have set, 
The things which our weak judgments here 
have spurned, 
The things o'er which we grieved with lashes 
wet. 
Will flash before us, and life's dark night. 

As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue ; 
And we shall see how all God's plans were 
right. 
And what most seemed reproof was love 
most true : 

And we shall see how, while we frown and sigh, 
God's plans go on as best for you and me — 

How, when we called, He heeded not our cry, 
Because His wisdom to the end could see ; 

And e'en as prudent parents disallow 
Too much of sweet to craving babyhood. 



230 



SOME TIME. 



So God, perhaps, is keeping- from us now 
Life's sweetest things because it seemeth 
good. 

And if, sometimes, commingled with life's wine, 

We find the wormwood, and rebel and shrink. 
Be sure a wiser hand than yours or mine 

Pours out this potion for our lips to drink ; 
And if some friend we love is lying low. 

Where human kisses cannot reach his face, 
Oh, do not blame the loving Father so. 

But wear your sorrow with obedient grace ! 

And you shall shortly know that lengthened 
breath 

Is not the sweetest gift God sends His friend, 
And that sometimes the sable pall of death 

Conceals the fairest boon His love can send ; 
If we could push ajar the gates of life, 

And stand within, and all God's working see. 
We could interpret all this doubt and strife, 

And for each mystery could find a key. 

But not to-day. Then be content, poor heart ! 

God's plans, like lilies, pure and white unfold ; 
We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart, 

Time will reveal the Calyxes of gold ; 
And if, through patient toil, we reach the land 



LEAD THO U ME ON. 231 

Where tired feet with sandals loosed may rest. 
Where we shall clearly know and understand, 
I think that we will say, " God knew the best." 



LEAD THOU ME ON. 

OLEAD me on ; the way is dark without 
Thee, 
Thou great Redeemer from all sin and woe ; 
Amid life's changes may I never doubt Thee, 
But follow still where Thou dost bid me go. 

Lead Thou me on, Guide of the weak and 
dreary ; 

Be Thou my help when thorny is the way ; 
Without Thy smile my heart is sad and weary. 

But hope immortal brightens in its ray. 

Lead Thou me on while storms of Hfe o'ertake 
me; 
Then may Thy promise on my spirit fall, 
•' Lo ! I am with thee," " I will not forsake 
thee," 
With heaven-born music 'mid the gloomy 

thrall. 

Lead Thou me on in hours of fierce temptation ; 
Then may I triumph through the blood divine ; 



232 



LEAD THOU ME ON. 



Then may I know the power of Thy salvation, 
And in the hkeness of Thy glory shine. 

Lead Thou me on ; there is no guide beside 
Thee — 

No sure, unfailing beacons but Thine own ; 
If Thou art nigh, whatever may betide me 

Will only draw me nearer to the throne. 

Lead Thou me on ; too long my soul has 
doubted ; 

" Come unto Me," I hear Thee sweetly say ; 
Too long cold unbelief my path has shrouded ; 

Forgive me, Saviour ; hear me while I pray. 

Lead Thou me, O Man of Sorrows, ever. 
Thou who didst bear our own upon the tree ; 

Grant me Thy peace ; and may it, like a river. 
Flow through my heart from love's unbounded 
sea. 

Oh, lead me on till I have gained the river 
Whose surges break on the eternal strand ; 

Then guide my spirit to the bright forever, 
Through golden portals to the sinless land^ 



A PRESENT SA VI OUR. 



'^ZZ 



A PRESENT SAVIOUR. 

WE sometimes think that had our lot been 
cast 
Upon the earth when Jesus labored here, 
We would have sought Him with a joyful haste 
To breathe our troubles in His listening car. 

We think that over many a weary league 
We would have gladly toiled our Lord to 
meet, 

Unmindful of the danger and fatigue, 
Could we at last but worship at His feet. 

We think that they were blest above their kind 
Who saw Him as He went from place to 
place, 
While we, less fortunate, our Lord must find 
Through the mysterious workings of His 
grace. 

Alas ! how prone to murmur and repine ! 

How prone we are to count our blessings 
less ! 
How, like the doubting Jews, we seek a sign, 

And daily slight His precious promises ! 



234 " KEEP ME FROM FALLING ! " 



For we forget the priceless words He left, 
" Lo, I am with you alway — to the end," 

And that, though by all other friends bereft, 
He ever stands near by a constant friend. 

More blest than they of old Jerusalem, 

We can, where'er on earth we are the while. 

But reach our hands to touch His garment's 
hem. 
But look, to greet His ever-pardoning smile. 



"KEEP ME FROM FALLING!'' 

H T7^ EEP me from falling ! " 

JLx. O Lamb of God, whose ever-pitying 
eye 
Looks down from Heaven at each disciple's cry, 
I come, a suppliant, needing all Thy care. 
And in my joys and griefs repeat this prayer, 
*• Keep me from falling ! " 

" Keep me from falling ! " 
If in the darkness I should stray afar. 
Like some lost traveler, with no guiding star. 
Be Thou my Light, O Jesus, Thou my Friend, 
And o'er these stony paths to life's dark end, 

" Keep me from falling ! " 



A SOXG OF ABEL IN HEA VEN. 



235 



" Keep me from falling ! " 
When I am tempted by the world to sin, 
Let Love Divine make pure my heart v^ithin ; — 
Press nearer Lord ; — be constant at my side, — 
Hear Thou my cry ; — yea, with me still abide, 

" Keep me from falling ! " 

" Keep me from falling ! " 
Soon shall I tread the shores of that dark sea. 
Which all my hopes, my fears divide from Thee ; 
Then, Saviour, help me, shrinking from Death's 

tide, — 
Stretch out Thy hand my tottering feet to guide, 
" Keep me from falling ! " 



A SONG OF ABEL IN HEAVEN. 

TEN thousand times ten thousand sung 
Loud anthems round the throne. 
When lo ! one solitary tongue 

Began a song unknown ; 
A song unknown to angel ears, 
A song that told of banished fears. 
Of pardoned sins and dried-up tears. 

Not one of all the heavenly host 
Could these high notes attain. 
But spirits from a distant coast 



236 WHEN THE KING COMES IN I 

United in the strain ; 
Till he who first began the song", 
To sing alone not suffered long, 
Was mingled with a countless throng. 

And still, as hours are fleeting by. 

The angels ever bear 
Some newly ransomed soul on high, 

To join the chorus there. 
And so the song will louder grow. 
Till all redeemed by Christ below 
To that fair world of rapture go. 

O give me. Lord, my golden harp, 

And tune my broken voice. 
That I may sing of troubles sharp. 

Exchanged for endless joys ; 
The song that ne'er was heard before, 
A sinner reached the heavenly shore, 
But now shall sound forevermore. 



WHEN THE KING COMES IN I 
Matthew xxii. 11-14. 

BROTHER, called by Christ's name are we ! 
Sitting, too, where His people be. 
But how will it fare with thee and me. 
When the King comes in ? 



WHEN THE KING COMES IN t 



237 



Crowns on the head where thorns have been ! 
Glorified, He who once died for men ! 
Splendid the vision before us then, 
When the King comes in ! 

Then will His eye scan every guest, 
Reading the secrets of every breast ; 
Ah ! well for us if we stand the test 
When the King comes in ! 

Like lightning's flash will that instant show 
Things long hidden from friend and foe ; 
Just what we are, will each neighbor know 
When the King comes in ! 

Then will He see if every one 
Has the wedding-garment of true faith on ; 
They who have not will be all undone, 
When the King comes in ! 

Too late to secure it in that day. 
Vainly they'll hide from Him away — 
Condemned, rejected, outcast, they, 
When the King comes in ! 

Endless the separations then ! 
Bitter the cries of deluded men ! 
Awful that moment, beyond all ken, 
When the King comes in I 



238 



GIVE US OUR DAILY BREAD. 



Then may we sit with those who are called, 
By holy rite and ordinance walled, 
And yet at the end be startled, appalled. 
When the King comes in ! 

Friend ! be sure that thou be such giiest 
That on thee with joy His eye may rest, 
And thou chosen be for the feast of the Blest, 
When the King comes in ! 

Lord ! grant us all, we implore Thee, grace. 
So to await Thee, each in his place, 
That we will not tremble to see Thy face 
When Thou comest in ! 



''give us this day our daiiy 
bread:' 

ONLY to-day ! dark looms to-morrow — 
Behind, sad yesterda5^s are lying dead ; 
Each moment keeps slow step with sorrow ; 
Give us to-day our daily bread, — 
Only to-day / 



We have no strength to walk, unless Thou lead 
us ; 
Sin hides, each side, the straight and narrow 
way ; 



STRIFE AND VICTORY. 



239 



Our hungry souls must faint, except Thou feed 
us ; 
Help us, we plead, to live aright to-day, — 
Only to-day ! 

We would not pierce the misty clouds around us. 
Nor fathom what the future has in store ; 

But day by day Thy loving care hath found us : 
Lead us to-day, we ask no more, — 
Only to-day ! 

We could not bear the weight a lifetime carries ; 
Our strength grows weakness if we do but 
try; 
To-morrow comes with pace that never tarries ; 
Help us to-day, O Lord, is all our cry, — 
Only to-day ! 



STRIFE AND VICTORY. 

THERE came an angel to me in disguise, 
Whose name was Sorrow : tender were 
His eyes. 

Though harsh His hand ; 
And slowly my reluctant soul He led 
Within the hearing of a Voice which said, 

In sweet command : 
" Come unto Me, and I will give you rest." 



240 STRIFE AND VICTORY. 



How could I but obey the kind behest ? 

And, as I turned, 
Some door of Heaven unbarred to flood my 

way 
With glimpses of the everlasting dny, 

Such glory burned ; 
Then in my gladness, " This is peace ! " I said ; 
But Life replied, ere many days had sped, 

" Not peace, but hope ! " 
For, while I looked, the transient gleam was 

gone. 
As clouds across the rift are drifted on, 

In heaven's dark cope. 

Ah, then I felt the galling chains of sin ! 
Ah, then I found that peace is hard to win 

With such a foe ! 
But as I strove with evil, strength was given, 
And still my steady feet were turned toward 
Heaven, 

Though faint and slow. 

And thus I struggled on from day to day, 
Until I felt the hostile hosts give way, 

The pressure yield ; 
And then I knew a victory was won. 
And I had conquered peace at last, upon 

Life's battle-field. 



STRIFE AND VICTORY. 24I 

Not that the strife was wholly ended yet, 
Nor triumph perfect. Death alone can set 

On mortal brow 
The victor's radiant crown ; yet peace within 
Is won by conquest over self and sin. 

Even here and now. 

" Is it 'not then," you ask, " the gift of Christ, 
His precious legacy, unearned, unpriced ? " 

Yes, this we know ; 
But Christ's best gifts are not for him who 

stands 
Awaiting them with idle, outstretched hands. 

He gives not so. 

He bought for us a field whereon to stand. 
And fight life's battle under His command, 

With woe and sin : 
He paid His life with power to help, and thus 
His gift is that 'tis possible for us 

To strive and win. 

For when we strive, we win. Oh, blest be He 
Who always giveth us the victory 

In faithful strife, 
And crowns the conquest with His holy peace. 
Whose early beams grow brighter and increase 

To endless life I 

16 



242 



ONE STEP MORE. 



MY COMFORTER. 

SERENE I lie in Jesus' hands, 
. _ Without one anxious care ; 
Content to do what He commands, 
And what He wills, to bear. 

Just now the cup He bids me drink. 
Like Marah's water seems ; 

And all the active scenes of life 
Come to me but in dreams. 

Yet as I lie so faint, so weak, 

I feel that He can be 
A precious help in time of need. 

And Comforter to me. 

So calmly, peacefully, I lean 
Upon my Saviour's breast ; 

For if He sends me life, or death, 
Whate'er He gives is best. 



ONE STEP MORE. 

WHAT though before me it is dark, 
Too dark for me to see ? 
I ask but light for one step more ; 
'Tis quite enough for me. 



ONE STEP MORE. 243 

Each little humble step I take, 
The gloom clears from the next ; 

So, thoug-h 'tis very dark beyond, 
I never am perplexed. 

And if sometimes the mist hangs close, 

So close I fear to stray. 
Patient I v^ait a little while. 

And soon it clears away. 

I would not see my further path. 

For mercy veils it so ; 
My present steps might harder be 

Did I the future know. 

It may be that my path is rough. 

Thorny, and hard, and steep ; 
And, knowing this, my strength might fail 

Through fear and terror deep. 

It may be that it winds along 

A smooth and flowery way ; 
But seeing this, I might despise 

The journey of to-day. 

Perhaps my path is very short, 

My journey nearly done ; 
And I might tremble at the thought 

Of ending it so soon. 



244 ^ LITTLE WHILE. 



Or, if I saw a weary length 

Of road that 1 must wend, 
Fainting, I'd think, " My feeble powers 

Will fail me ere the end." 

And so I do not wish to see 

My journey o'er its length ; 
Assured that, through my Father's love, 

Each step will bring its strength. 

Thus step by step I onward go, 

Not looking far before ; 
Trusting that I shall always have 

Light for just " one step more." 



A LITTLE WHILE, 

MY silence and my solitude 
I offer up to Thee. 
Lord, where the glad Hosannas sound, 
Wilt Thou not think of me ? 

Oh, many the foundations are 

Of Thy fair City tall. 
And many are the gates of Pearl 

Set in the Jasper wall. 




A PR OTES T. 



245 



And many are the Mansions there, 

And many are the feet, 
Upon the jewelled pavements, where 

The saved and happy meet. 

A little while, and shall I be 

One of that radiant throng ? 

A little while, and shall I join 
Their everlasting song ? 

A little while, — O throbbing heart, 
Then surely Thou canst wait 

A little while, and learn to be 
Serene though desolate. 



A PROTEST. 

WHY press we so against the door that 
Fate 
Has barred upon our heart's desire ? 
Why hold our lives bereft and desolate 

Because God writes their almanac in fire ? 
Why should we sadden with dark, clouded skies. 

When others make a ladder of their love ; 
And while we deem ourselves too weak to rise, 
They've climbed above ? 

Why sit and dream in Spring's sweet labor 
time, 



246 " CONFORMITY TO CHRIST." 

Unreal dreams, whose sadness makes them 
sweet ; 
And, since we mar and break our lives full 
prime, 
Deem that we rest contented at God's feet ? 
Why cry to heaven for lost and broken hours, 

For faith and hope that faded long ago. 
When still within our hearts new fruitful powers 
Are budding now ? 

Oh, eyes turned inward on our darkened hearts 
Open to see God's beauty on the earth. 

Self-pitying tears that flow upon His smarts, 
Fructify all our barrenness and dearth : 

O folded hands, close-clasped in dull despair, 
Grow busy with God's work of love and peace, 

O heart, forget to grieve, and rise to where 
Misgivings cease. 



''CONFORMITY TO CHRIST:' 

LORD, I desire to live as one 
That bears a blood-bought name 
As one who fears but grieving Thee, 
And knows no other shame. 

As one by whom Thy life below 
Should never be forgot ; 



♦♦ CONFORMITY TO CHRIST:' 247 

As one who fain would live apart 
From those that love Thee not. 

I want to be as one who knows 

Thy fellowship of love ; 
As one whose eyes can pierce beyond 

The pearl-built gates above. 

As one who daily speaks to Thee, 

And hears Thy voice Divine, 
With depths of tenderness declare, 

** Beloved, thou art mine." 

1 want to walk as one who knows 

The guilt that lurks within ; 
Yet rests in meek dependence 

On the resting-place from sin. 

Nearer my Saviour's face to dwell 

Than ever yet before ; 
And then, to lean upon His breast, 

And own Him conqueror. 



248 CHASTISEMENT. 



CHA STISEMENT. 

I HAVE been dumb, and held my peace, 
Because the stroke was Thine : 
When Thou dost bare Thy holy arm 
Omnipotent, Divine, 
Shall mortal man, corrupt within, 
Complain that Thou dost visit sin ? 

Thou didst it, Lord. This sorrow came, 

Obedient to Thy will : 
Thy hands have made me ; Oh, in wrath 
Remember mercy still, 
I will be silent at Thy awful throne ; 
Lord, Thou hast fashion'd me : Thy will be 
done. 

Thou didst it. Thou whose heart of love 

Was wounded first for me : 
Who passed through mortal life, and bore 
Death's deepest agony. 
How can I murmur or complain. 
When Jesus suffered grief and pain ? 

Thou didst it ; who art watching now 

Each pang and heavy sigh : 
Yes, I submit, if only Thou 

Wilt hold me, and stand nigh : 



CHA S TISEM ENT. 



249 



I will not struggle with the knife 
That wounds me but to save my life. 

Thou didst it, who art gone on high, 

Where many mansions be, 
There to prepare a glorious Home, 
And deathless friends for me : 
Shall I rebel against the love 
That fits me for my home above ? 

Ah, no ! e'en through this load of fears 

My heart is springing up 
To thank Thee for the boundless grace 
That overflows my cup. 
But I am weak, and cannot always say, 
" Thy will be done ; " remember I am clay. 

Put a new song within my lips, 

And let my spirit sing ; 
I give Thee up my inmost heart, 
Saviour, and Priest, and King ; 
Take to Thee, there at least, Thy power and 

reign ; 
Henceforth " to live is Christ, to die is gain." 



250 ALPHA AND OMEGA. 



ALPHA AND OMEGA. 

OLAMB of God, I know that Thou art 
here ! 
Close as my clasping hands — nay, yet more 

near ; 
And every sigh enters Thy gracious ear, — 

I ask to see 
More of Thyself, Lord Jesus, more of Thee ! 

Give me to walk with girded garments white ; 
The understanding heart, to read aright 
Thy word. Thy Law, Thy will, my soul's de- 
light,— 

That I may be 
More like Thyself, Lord Jesus, more like Thee ! 

Grant me a ministry that Thou shalt bless. 
Give me Thy comfort for the comfortless, 
And self-forgetful in each heart's distress, — 

Oh, grant to me 
More of Thyself, Lord Jesus, more of Thee ! 

Give me a baptism of glowing love, 

Thy power and presence wheresoe'er I rove ; 

And my last prayer, all other prayers above, — 

Oh, give to mc 
More of Thyself, Lord Jesus, more of Thee I 



REST. 251 



REST, 



O JESUS Merciful ! bend down 
In Thy compassions deep. 
As sleepless and alone I lie. 
And watch beside me keep. 

There is a holier, sweeter rest 
Than the lulling of this pain ; 

And a deeper calm than that which sleep 
Sheds over heart and brain. 

It is the soul's surrendered choice, 

The settling of the Will, 
Lying down gently on the Cross, 

God's purpose to fulfill. 

For this I need Thy Presence, Lord, 
My hand held close in Thine :* 

Infuse now through my spirit faint 
An energy divine. 

Feed me with Love, imprint on me 

Thine awful kiss of Peace : 
Let me be still upon Thy Breast, 

Nor struggle for release. 



* Isaiah sli. i; 



252 MINE EYES SHALL SEE THEE, 

And sanctify my weakness, Lord ; 

Nature's extreme distress. 
Is just the time when it may learn 

God's glory to express. 

Stamp in, O God, at any cost 
The likeness of Thy Son : 

Filial submission to Thy will 
Is heaven itself begun. 



MINE EYES SHALL SEE THEE. 
Isaiah xxxiii. 17. 

MINE eyes shall see Thee, O my Friend, 
my Sov'reign, 
Dear Lord of life and grace ! 
These very eyes, bedimm'd with woe and watch- 
ing, 

Shall gaze upon Thy face ! 

Mine eyes, that now but see in part, and darkly, 
And but in part have knov/n, 

Shall face to face, yet fearlessly, behold Thee, 
O Lamb, upon Thy throne ! 

Mine eyes shall see Thee, not as once they saw 
Thee, 



MINE EYES SHALL SEE THEE. 253 

Who walked with Thee of old. 
Yet knew Thee not, but in Thy perfect beauty 
I shall Thy face behold 1 

Light of my life ! O sweet and fair Lord Jesus, 

Joy of my inmost heart ; 
What tongue can tell, what mind conceive the 
rapture 

To see Thee as Thou art ? 

O matchless King ! my own, my only Saviour ! 

My Royal, Princely One ! 
When shall these eyes, these wistful eyes be 
gladdened, 

And filled with Thee alone ? 

Hasten, O Lord, Thy feet upon the mountains, 

Let the cold shadows flee ! 
This midnight watching must be well-nigh over 

That I have kept for Thee. 

Soon shall the morning dawn upon my vigil. 
For, daybreak must be near ; 

When in the glory of His likeness waking, 
With Christ I shall appear. 

Mine eyes shall see Him ! then this tongue un- 
loosened 



254 



THE BELEAGUERED SOUL. 



Her new-born song shall sing ; 
That now half-trembling, half-triumphant fal- 
ters 

"Mine eyes shall see the King." 



THE BELEAGUERED SOUL. 
Romans vili. 37. 

BESET with foes, like some beleaguered 
city, 
My trembling soul amid the tumult stands, 
Crying, " Look down, O Christ, in helpful pity 
Increase my faith, lift up my failing hands." 

Thee will I love with all my soul's endeavor. 
Thee only serve, in spite of every foe ; 

I am Thy chosen one. Thine own for ever, 
And Thou art mine, 'mid contlict, toil, and 
woe. 

Hast Thou not sworn in covenant unfailing 
That Thou wilt leave me never, or forsake ; 

And shall my feeblest cry be unavailing ? 
Nay, Thou wilt front the battle for my sake. 

Lo ! while without mine enemies surround me. 
This traitor heart, leagued with the hosts of 
hell, 



THE BELEA GUERED SOUL. 255 

Cast wide her gates— but Thou whose love 
has found me, 
Wilt guard the camp, and keep the citadel. 

Thou of the blood-stained vesture, O Victori- 
ous ! 
With burning eyes, and many crowned head ; 
Thou conquering One, with name unknown but 
glorious, 
Thou, Thou art He that liveth and was dead. 

Thou art that Jesus, who, with footsteps lowly, 
Trod, stranger-wise, the busy haunts of earth ; 

Yet whose high deeds, and language pure and 
holy 
Proclaimed to sinful man Thy sinless birth. 

Thou art that Jesus, who, despised and hooted, 
Shrank in meek anguish, 'neath the Father's 

rod ; 
The crucified, thorn-crowned, and persecuted, 
The Man of Sorrows, yet the Son of God ! 

Thou bleeding Lamb ! Thou King of kings 
transcendent, 
Who, dying, death destroyed, his bondage 

rent ; 
Then rising, left the gloomy grave resplendent 
With faith, and hope, and love omnipotent. 



256 '■''COMFORTABLE WORDSr 

O human-hearted Friend ! O Prince eternal ! 
Since Thy dear light hath dawn'd upon my 
heart, 
Take all life's fresh springs, all her pastures 
vernal, 
For Thou my only joy shalt be and art. 



"COMFORTABLE WORDS." 

" Search the Scriptures : for in them ye think ye have 
eternal life : and they are they which testify of Me."— 
John v. 39. 

ART thou worn and heavy-laden, 
By earth's trials sore oppressed 7 
Hearken to thy Saviour's promise, 

" Come, and I will give thee rest ; " 
Lighter far would seem thy sorrov/s 

Did ye heed His blessed Word, 
And, not faithless, but believing, 
" Cast thy burden on the Lord." 

Though the way seem long and weary 
Earthly aid removed from thee, 

Christ has promised — " As thy day is. 
Even so thy strength shall be." 

Over paths most rough and stony, 
He will hold thy footsteps up. 




^^CO^J FORT ABLE WORDS? 257 

And in sore and grievous trouble, 
Help thee drink the bitter cup. 

Is a loved one taken from thee, 

Murmur not beneath the rod, 
Know'st thou not that those most chastened 
\ Are the best beloved of God ? 

Though thy heart be sore and bleeding. 

From thy treasure called to part, 
Comes there not to thee this message — 

" I am nigfh the broken heart ? " 



'&' 



" Where thy treasure, there thy heart is," 

And whene'er disposed to roam, 
'Tis the love you bore that dear one. 

Draws thy wand'ring footsteps Home. 
This the thought that cheers thy sorrow 

When thine eyes with tears are dim. 
Though " to me he shall return not, 

I may some time go to him." 

Through still deeper waves of trouble 

God may call thee yet to go, 
'Tis to draw thee closer to Him, 

Wean thy thoughts from things below. 
Harden not thy heart against Him, 

Never doubt His care for thee, 
" Greater love than this has no man, 

That He gave His life for thee." 
17 



258 



^"COMFORTABLE WORDS.** 



Though thy griefs should nigh o'erwlielm thee, 

Each one seem more bitter still, 
Strive for grace to say most humbly, 

" Lo ! I come to do Thy will." 
God shall be forever with thee, 

Help thee tread the narrow way, 
And through deepest, blackest darkness. 

Guide thee to His perfect day. 

Then, thy journey safely ended. 

From all fears thy soul set free, 
Thou shalt, in thy Father's mansion, 

Find a place prepared for thee — 
No more death, nor pain, nor sorrow, 

Never more from Home to stray, 
God shall dry thy tears, and tell thee 

Former things are passed away. 



There with angels and archangels 

WiU ye laud His glorious name. 
Saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, 

Ever through all time the same. 
Would ye mourn o'er earthly trials. 

Be by troubles so oppressed, 
Were ye looking ever upward, 

Toward that Home of perfect Rest ? 



" THOU ART NEA A', O L ORD / " 259 



''THOU ART NEAR, LORD r' 

WHEN the world is brightest, 
And our hearts are lightest. 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Let Thy hand be near us ! 

When life's scene is shaded, 
All its bright hopes faded, 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Light of heaven, be near us ! 

When with blessings sated 
Or by praise elated, 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Let Thy Cross be near us ! 

When the night of sorrow 
Makes us dread to-morrow, 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Light of heaven, be near us ! 

When our foes surround us ! 
When our sins have bound us. 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Let Thy help be near us ! 



26o 



THE STRAIGHT WA V. 



When our hearts are grieving, 
O'er the grave bereaving, 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Light of heaven, be near us ! 

When in sickness lying, 
Dark with fear of dying, 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Let Thy help be near us ! 

When life, slowly waning. 
Shows but Heaven remaining, 
Blessed Jesus, hear us ! 
Light of all, be near us ! 



TJI£ STRAIGHT WAY. 
" Make Thy way straight before my face." — Ps. v. 8. 

THY way, not mine, O Lord, 
However dark it be ! 
Lead me by Thine own hand. 
Choose out the path for me. 

Smooth let it be, or rough, 

It will be still the best ; 
Winding or straight, it leads 

Right onward to Thy Rest. 



THE S TEA IGHT WAY. 2 6 1 

I dare not choose my lot ; 

I would not if I might ; 
Choose Thou for me, my God ; 

So shall I walk aright. 

The Kingdom that I seek 

Is Thine ; so let the way 
That leads to it be Thine, 

Else I must surely stray. 

Take Thou my cup, and it 

With joy or sorrow fill, 
As best to Thee may seem. 

Choose Thou my good and ill. 

Choose Thou for me my friends, 

My sickness or my health ; 
Choose Thou my cares for me. 

My poverty or wealth. 

Not mine, not mine the choice. 
In things, or great, or small ; 

Be Thou my Guide, my Strength, 
My Wisdom, and my all. 



262 / WILL FOLLOW THEE. 



OUR FATHER KNOWETH. 

" Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these 
things." — St. Luke xii. 30. 

THEREFORE, our Heavenly Father, 
We will not fear to pray 
For the little needs and longings, 

That fill our every day ; 
And when we dare not whisper 

A want that lieth dim, 
We say, " Our Father knoweth," 
And leave it all to Him. 

For His great love has compassed 

Our nature, and our need 
We know not ; but He knoweth. 

And He will bless indeed. 
Therefore, O Heavenly Father, 

Give what is best to me ; 
And take the wants unanswered. 

As offerings made to Thee. 



I WILL FOLLOW THEE. 

O JESUS, I have promised 
To serve Thee to the end ; 
Be Thou for ever near me. 
My Master and My Friend ! 



/ WILL FOLLOW THEE. 263 

I shall not fear the battle 

If Thou art by my side, 
Nor wander from the pathway 

If Thou wilt be my Guide. 

Oh ! let me feel Thee near me — 

The world is ever near ; 
I see the sights that dazzle, 

The tempting sounds I hear. 
My foes are ever near me. 

Around me and within ; 
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer, 

And shield my soul from sin. 

Oh ! let me hear Thee speaking 

In accents clear and still, • 

Above the storms of passion. 

The murmurs of self-will. 
Oh ! speak to re-assure me. 

To hasten or control : 
Oh ! speak, and make me listen, 

Thou Guardian of my soul ! 

O Jesus, Thou hast promised 

To all that follow Thee 
That where Thou art in glory 

There shall Thy servant be ; 
And, Jesus, I have promised 



264 JESUS, MV LORD, MV GOD. 

To serve Thee to the end ; 
Oh, give me grace to follow 
My Master and my Friend ! 

Oh ! let me see Thy foot-marks, 

And in them plant mine own ; 
My hope to follow duly 

Is in Thy strength alone. 
Oh ! guide me, call me, draw me, 

Uphold me to the end ; 
And then in heaven receive me, 

My Saviour and my Friend ! 



yESUS, MY LORD, MY GOD. 

JESUS, my Lord, my God, my all, 
Hear me, blest Saviour, when I call ; 
Hear me, and from Thy dwelling-place 
Pour down the riches of Thy grace. 
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore : 
Oh, make me love Thee more and more ! 

Jesus, alas ! too coldly sought. 
How can I love Thee as I ought ? 
And how extol Thy matchless fame. 
The glorious beauty of Thy name ? 
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore : 
Oh, make me love Thee more and more ! 



ATE VE N . 



265 



Jesus, what didst Thou find in me 
That Thou hast dealt so lovingly ? 
How great the joy that Thou hast brought 1 
Oh, far exceeding hope or thought ! 
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore : 
Oh, make me love Thee more and more ! 

Jesus, of Thee shall be my song. 
To Thee my heart and soul belong ; 
All that I am or have is Thine ; 
And Thou, my Saviour, Thou art mine. 

Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore ; 

Oh, make me love Thee more and more ! 



ATE V E N. 

" At even when the sun did set, they brought unto Him 
all that were diseased." — St. Mark i. 32. 

AT even, ere the sun was set, 
The sick, O Lord, around Thee lay : 
Oh, in what divers pains they met ! 

Oh, with what joy they went away ! 
Once more 'tis eventide, and we 

Oppressed with various ills draw near : 
What if Thy form we cannot see } 
We know and feel that Thou art here. 



266 A T EVEN. 



O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel : 

For some are sick, and some are sad, 
And some have never loved Thee well, 

And some have lost the love they had ; 
And some are pressed with worldly care ; 

And some are tried with sinful doubt ; 
And some such grievous passions tear 

That only Thou canst cast them out ; 

And some have found the world is vain, 

Yet from the world they break not free ; 
And some have friends who give them pain. 

Yet have not sought a friend in Thee. 
And none, O Lord, have perfect rest, 

For none are wholly free from sin ; 
And they who fain would serve Thee best 

Are conscious most of wrong within. 

O Saviour Christ, Thou too art Man ; 

Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried, 
Thy kind but searching glance can scan 

The very wounds that shame would hide ; 
Thy touch has still its ancient power ; 

No word from Thee can fruitless fall ; 
Hear, in this solemn evening hour, 

And in Thy mercy heal us all. 



H 



THE BLESSED SERVICE. 267 

THE BLESSED SERVICE. 

OW blessed, from the bonds of care 
And earthly fetters free. 
In singleness of heart and aim 

Thy servants. Lord, to be ! 
The hardest toil to undertake 
With joy at Thy command, 
The meanest office to receiv^e 
With meekness at Thy hand : 

With willing hearts and longing eyes 

To watch before Thy gate. 
Ready to run the weary race. 

To bear the heavy weight : 
No voice of thunder to expect. 

But follow calm and still. 
For love can easily divine 

The One Beloved's will. 

Thus may we serve Thee, Gracious Lord ! 

Thus ever Thine alone. 
Our souls and bodies given to Thee, 

The purchase Thou hast won. 
Through evil or through good report 

Still keeping by Thy side, 
By life or death, in this poor Hesh 

Let Christ be magnified ! 



268 WHEN THE DA Y OF TOIL IS DONE. 



How happily the working days 

In this dear service fly ! 
How rapidly the closing hour, 

The time of rest, draws nigh ! 
When all the faithful gather home, 

A joyful company ! 
And ever where the Master is. 

Shall His blest servants be ! 



WHEN THE DA V OF TOIL IS DONE. 

WHEN the day of toil is done, 
When the race of life is run, 
Father, grant Thy wearied one 
Rest for evermore ! 

When the strife of sin is stilled. 
When the foe within is killed. 
Be Thy gracious word fulfilled — 
Peace for evermore ! 

When the darkness melts away, 
At the breaking of Thy Day, 
Bid us hail the cheering ray'; — 
Light for evermore I 

When the heart by sorrow tried 
Feels at length its throbs subside. 



1 



HELP THOU MY UNBELIEF. 



269 



Bring us, where all tears are dried, 
Joy for evermore ! 

When for vanished days we yearn. 
Days that never can return, 
Teach us in Thy love to learn 
Love for evermore ! 

When the breath of life is flown, 
When the grave must claim its own, 
Lord of Life ! be ours Thy crown — 
Life for evermore ! 



HELP THOU MY UNBELIEF. 

MY sins have taken such an hold on me, 
I am not able to look up to Thee ! 
Lord, I repent ; accept my tears and grief: 
But Thou hast taken all my sin away. 
And I in Thee dare now look up and pray ; 
Lord, I beheve ; help Thou mine unbelief. 

Of nights unhallowed, and of sinful days. 
Of careless thoughts, and words, and works, 
and ways, 

Lord, I repent ; accept my tears and grief; 
And in the Life which doth within me live, 
And the forgiveness which can all forgive. 

Lord, I believe ; help Thou mine unbelief. 



270 



COME UNTO ME. 



Of selfishness which makes the soul unjust. 
Envy and strife, and every sinful lust, 

Lord, I repent ; accept my tears and giief ; 
And in the Blood, which doth my pardon plead 
The Truth and Love, which for me intercede, 

Lord, I beUeve ; help Thou mine unbelief. 

Of sins that as a cloud have hid Thy face. 
Of Thy care slighted, and Thy grieved grace. 

Lord, I repent , accept my tears and grief; 
In love which puts sin's envious veil aside. 
Rending the veil of flesh which for me died, 

Lord, I believe ; help Thou mine unbelief. 

Sin is my sorrow, passion is my pain. 

To Thee their vileness, and in me their stain ; 

Lord, I repent ; accept my tears and grief : 
Christ is my joy ; and out of all distress 
He doth deliver with His righteousness ; 

Lord, I believe ; help Thou mine unbelief. 



COME UNTO ME. 

a i^OME unto Me, ye weary, 
\_J And I will give you rest." 

Oh, blessed voice of Jesus, 

Which comes to hearts opprest ! 

It tells of benediction, 



COME UNTO ME. 27 1 

Of pardon, grace, and peace. 
Of joy that hath no ending, 
Of love which cannot cease. 

" Come unto Me, ye wanderers, 

And I will give you light." 
Oh, loving voice of Jesus, 

Which comes to cheer the night ! 
Our hearts were filled with sadness. 

And we had lost our way, 
But morning brings us gladness. 

And songs the break of day. 

" Come unto Me, ye fainting. 

And I will give you hfe." 
Oh, cheering voice of Jesus, 

Which comes to aid our strife ! 
The foe is stern and eager, 

The fight is fierce and long ; 
But Thou hast made us mighty, 

And stronger than the strong. 

" And whosoever cometh, 

I will not cast him out." 
Oh, welcome voice of Jesus, 

Which drives away our doubt ! 
Which calls us very sinners, 

Unworthy though we be 
Of love so free and boundless, 

To come, dear Lord, to Thee ! 



272 THE BE A UTIFUL GA TE. 



A P RA YER. 

SO grant us, Lord, our race to run. 
That run we not in vain ; 
And none Thy chastening- rod refuse, 
And none His cross disdain. 

Safe, keep us, gracious Lord, beneath 
The shadow of Thy wing ; 

So shall we peaceful rest secure 
From every hurtful thing. 

So grant us. Lord, our race to run, 

That run we not in vain ; 
And all Thy glorious face behold. 

And all the crown obtain. 



THE BEAUTIFUL GATE. 

LORD, open the door, for I falter ; 
I faint in this stifled air. 
In dust and straitness I lose my breath ; 
This life of self is a living death : 

Let me into Thy pastures — broad and 
fair — 
To the sun and the wind from Thy mountains 

free ; 
Lord, open the door to me ! 



THE BEA UTIFUL GA TE. 



273 



There is a holier life, and truer 
Than ever my heart has found ; 
There is a nobler work than is wrought within 
These walls, so charred by the fires of sin, 

Where I toil like a captive blind and 
bound : — 
An open door — to a freer task 
In Thy nearer smile I ask. 

Yet the world is Thy field, Thy garden ; 

On earth art Thou still at home ; 
When Thou bendest hither Thy hallowing eye, 
My narrow work-room seems vast and high, 

Its dingy ceiling — a rainbow dome : 
Stand ever thus by my narrow door. 
And toil will be toil no more. 

Through the rosy portals of morning, 
Now the tides of sunshine flow 

Over the earth and the glistening sea, 

The praise Thou inspirest rolls back to Thee. 
Its tones through the infinite arches go ; 

Yet crippled and dumb, behold me wait. 

Dear Lord, at the beautiful gate. 

I wait for Thy hand of healing — 
For vigor and hope in Thee : — 
Open wide the door, — let me feel the sun, — • 
Let me touch Thy robe ; I shall rise and run 



2 74 THE BEAUTIFUL GATE. 



Through Thy happy universe, safe and 

free, 
Where in and out Thy beloved go. 

Nor want nor wandering know. 

Thyself art the door most holy ! 
By Thee let me enter in ! 
I press towards Thee with my failing strength : 
Unfold Thy love in its breadth and length ! 

True light from Thine let my spirit win ! 
To the saints' fair city — the Father's throne — 
Thou, Lord, art the way alone. 

From the deeps of unseen glory 
Now I feel the flooding light : 
O rare, sweet winds from Thy hills that blow ! 
O river, so calm in its cr5'Stal flow ! 

O love unfathomed — the depth, the 
height ! 
What joy wilt Thou not unto me impart, 
When Thou shalt enlarge my heart. 

To be made with Thee one spirit. 
Is the boon that I lingering ask, 
To have no bar 'twixt my soul and Thine ; 
My thoughts to echo Thy will divine ; 

Myself, Thy servant for every task ; 
Life ! Life ! I may enter through Thee, the 

door — 
Saved, sheltered for evermore. 



/ MUST ABIDE A T THY HOUSE:' 



275 



'TO-DAY I MUST ABIDE AT THY 
HOUSE." 

YEA, enter in. Thou gracious Guest, 
Lowly and poor my home ; 
Yet where Thy welcome footsteps rest, 

Riches and beauty come. 
Fairer than sheen of palace walls, 
The radiance of Thy presence falls. 

For Thee my humble board I spread ; 

Scanty and mean my fare ; 
But where Thy smiles of love are shed. 

Are viands rich and rare. 
My bread becomes as manna fine, 
And water turns to choicest wine. 

No treasure rare and strange have I 

My peerless Guest to show ; 
Yet purest pearls around me lie, 

And priceless jewels glow : 
Entranced, I view the wondrous store 
That entered with Thee at my door. 

I scarce may dare, with speech of mine 

Thy answering words to win. 
But when my glance is raised to Thine, 

Thou readest all within ; 



276 " / MUST ABIDE A T THY HOUSED 

And Strains flow forth so pure and sweet, 
I sit in rapture at Thy feet. 

How can I hope to please my Guest ? 

To serve is all I try ; 
Yet when, to do some mild behest, 

On eager wing I fly, 
And haste again, to meet Thy smile, 
How radiant has it grown the while ! 

Happy, indeed, the roof wherein 

My Lord this day doth rest, 
More happy, if it might but win 

Him for a constant Guest. 
Lord, in the heart I open wide, 
Enter, and evermore abide. 



^\u i?ilflvim they I'M iu w Xm^t xx\)\nx 
®Ite nnme of iH 



INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 



A Little While ^44 

A Little Way ^° 

Adoration ^'^^ 

Alpha and Omega ^5° 

An Evening Prayer ^9^ 

. , 162 

Anywhere 

Art thou Weary, art thou Languid ? ^9^ 

Aspiration ^ 

... 186 

Aspirations 

At Even ^^^ 

" Babes Always " "^9 

Beautiful Gate, The =^72 

Beleaguered Soul, The ^^^ 

Beyond •' 

Best ^5 

Blessed Healed, The ^^° 

Blessed Service, The ' 

Border Land, The ^^ 

''Bowing to God's Will" '^S 

By Thee, Jesus, will I Stay "^ 

Chamber of Peace, The ^ 

248 

Chastisement 

...... 140 

Closet Prayer 

. 104 

Cleansing Fires 

„ ,, 270 

Come unto iNIe 

" Comfortable Words " ^^ 

Coming, The • 

(^77) 



278 INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 

Communion Hymn 172 

" Conformity to Christ " 246 

Consolation in Christ 120 

Cui Bono 133 

Day 141 

Difference, The 156 

Dying, yet Behold ! we Live 15 

Endurance 147 

Enticed 108 

Every Day ; 180 

Faith 176 

Faith and Light in the Latter Days 151 

Fainting Heart, The 195 

'' Far Away " iii 

Fisher, The 227 

" Follow Me " 77 

For Saturday Night 103 

Gathering Home, The 42 

Gethsemane 117 

" Give us this Day our Daily Bread " ., 238 

God hath His Plan for Every Man 143 

God Knoweth Best 114 

Got not Far from Me 207 

Going to Sleep ... 46 

Good-Bye 60 

Grow not Old 179 

Hardest Time of All, The 75 

Heart Ventures 177 

Hea\ier the Cross 38 

Heaven over All 133 

Helpless 215 

"HeLeadeth Me" 121 



INDEX rO SUBJECTS. 2'jg 

" He Careth for You " 225 

'' He Knoweth ye have Need " 165 

He Knoweth All 33 

Hereafter 72 

Help Thou my Unbelief 269 

Hope's Song 93 

How Long 157 

Hymn, A 81 

Hymn of Faith 5^ 

Hymn of Rest 56 

I AM His and He is Mine 61 

I Thirst loi 

I Stand and Knock 124 

I and my Burden 132 

I Gazed upon the Bitter Cross i75 

I will Follow Thee 262 

" I shall Die Alone " 5i 

If 1 should Die To-Night 99 

" If God shall Bless me So " 57 

In the Evening ^^ 

" It is I ; be not Afraid " 67 

Jrsus, my Lord, my God 264 

Jesus Only i49 

"Jesus, Help Conquer" 89 



"Keep me from Falling" 234 

Land Beyond the Sea, The 21 

Last Hours, The 85 

Lattice at Sunrise, The •_ 59 

Lay of Peace in Sickness, A 104 

Lead Thou me On 231 

Left All ^42 

"Let us Pass Over" 126 

Looking Seaward 95 



28o INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 



Longing for Christ 54 

Lord, Help Me 182 

Loved and Lost, The 35 

Lovest the u Me ? 201 

Mater Dolorosa 17 

Mine Ej'es shall See Thee 252 

Mountain of Myrrh, The 154 

My Cross 129 

My Comforter ■ 242 

My Cross " 138 

Night and Day 14 

Night-Watch, The 52 

None or All 82 

Not Now 218 

Nothing 106 

Oh, Weary in the Morning 205 

Old Age 136 

One Year More loi 

One Step More 242 

One of the Sweet Old Chapters 40 

Other Shore, The 47 

Our High Priest 153 

Our Father Knoweth 262 

Over my Dead 44 

Peace 79 

Peaceable Fruit 222 

Penitential Hymn 167 

Perfect Day, The 174 

Pilgrim's Prayer, The 130 

Prayer, A 272 

Pray Without Ceasing 87 

Praying in Spirit 127 

Prayer for Rest in Sickness, A. 213 



INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 28 1 



Presen t Saviour, A 233 

Preventing Mer::ies 168 

Protest, A -- 245 

" Purifieth Himsel even as He is Pure " "3 

Rest 122 

" Remembernot the Sins of my Youth " 148 

Rest 171 

Rest from the Burden 211 

Rest in God 223 

Rest 251 

School Life • • • • ^93 

" Sealed " 128 

Secret, The 24 

Shadow of Death, The ^59 

Silent God, The 178 

Sleep 40 

Some Time 229 

" So He Bringeth them unto their Desired Haven " 25 

Song in the Night, A . 97 

Song of Abel in Heaven, A 235 

Sorrow ^2 

Sparrow's Text, The ^29 

Strife and Victory 239 

Straight Way, The 260 

Sufferer's Couch, The 163 

Sympathy of Jesus, The 204 

Teach me to Live 210 

Thorn and Cross, The "5 

" Though I be Nothing " 54 

" Thou art Near, O Lord " 259 

Their Thoughts and Our Thoughts "8 

Tired 9 

Tired Mothers ^3 

'Tis all the Same to Me 29 



282 INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 



To-Day 105 

'' To-Day I must Abide at Thy House." 275 

Transverse and Parallel 88 

Trust 26 

Twilight 185 

'Twill Not be Long 70 

Two Cities, The 30 

Waiting for the King 164 

Waiting for Jesus, 189 

Wandering 84 

Watch 68 

When the Day of Toil is Done 268 

What Then ? 34 

When the King Comes In 236 

Why Walk in Dark'ness 143 

Will of God, The 28 

Written on Recovery from Illness 73 



" I shall Die Alone " 51 

If I should Die To-Night 99 

" If God shall Bless me So " 57 

In the Evening 11 

"It is I; be not Afraid" •. 67 

Jesus, my Lord, my God 264 

Jesus Only 149 

" Jesus, Help Conquer" 89 

" Keep me from Falling " 234 

Land Beyond the Sea, The 21 

Last Hours, The 85 

Lattice at Sunrise, The 59 

Laj' of Peace in Sickness, A 104 



INDEX TO FIRST LINES. 



A SPAKROW lighted chirping on a spray 129 

A little elbow leans upon your knee MRS. albert smith. 63 

A little way— I know it is not far 20 

A ship, full laden, left her native port i5 

Across the discord of our lives comes lowly. ellie a. jewett. 165 

After the burden and heat of the day 5 

Ah, Lord 1 to be ^^^ 

All day the wind had liowled along the leas " 

All Koeth but God's will 1 a"CE wiluams. 28 

Any little corner, Lord ^"^ 

Art thou worn and heavy-laden L. D. M. 256 

Art thou weary, art thou languid ^9^ 

As Mary knelt, and dropped her tears ;•• • 167 

As on my bed at dawn I mused and prayed.. kev. c. turner. 59 

At even, ere the sun was set ^^5 

Because of little low-laid heads all covered... mary k. field. 17 

Bend down from heaven. Almighty Love v. a. R. 185 

Beset with foes, like some beleaguered city c. L. s. 254 

Beyond life's toils and cares ^° 

Brother, called by Christ's name are we G. z. o. 236 

By Thee, Jesus, will I stay j. b. w. 221 

Chafed and worn with worldly care ^°3 

Come, all ye weary, worn, and sin-defiled 56 

"Come unto Me, ye weary" ^7° 

Could I recall the years that now are flown 148 



284 



INDEX TO FIRST LINES. 



Dark is the sky that overhangs my soul 174 

Do I not love Thee ? Thou whose patient feet M. N. m. 201 

Does the road wind uphill all the way ? 9 

Down through the hushed and thickening air. .c. m. cadell. ioi 

Faint not beneath thy burden, though it seem 147 

Fling down the faded blossoms of the spring 136 

Fold up thy hands, my weary soul rose terry. 122 

Go not far from me, O my strength miss a. l. waring. 207 

God sends sometimes a stillness in our life. . .lucy Fletcher. 211 

God's almighty arms are round me 104 

Good-bye, good-bye, it is the sweetest bles.sing 60 

He sees when their footsteps falter, when their hearts grow 

weak and faint 40 

He took them from me, one by one F. H. m.'^rr. 114 

Heavier the cross, the nearer heaven 38 

How blessed, from the bonds of care c. j. frost. 267 

How many hours of patient toil. . . . 133 



I KNOW not if the dark or bright 26 

I cannot think but God must know " SAXE holm." 81 

I have wandered to the mountain H. c hogden. 84 

I gathered flowers the summer long 91 

I hear it singing, singing sweetly 93 

I stand and knock, at holy Advent time 124 

I need not leave the jostling world 

HARRIET m'eWEN KIMBALL. I27 

I am Thine own, O Christ H. M. B. 128 

I go on pilgrimage. The road in view 130 

I and my burden, O Master 132 

I love my God, but with no love of mine 145 

I gazed upon the bitter Cross, and sought " Elpis." 175 

I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou hast kept 

ADELAIDE A. PROCTOR. 176 

I sat in the school of sorrow i93 



INDEX TO FIRST LINES. 285 

I have been to a land, a Border Land 198 

I have been dumb, and held my peace C. M. N. 248 

I stood and watched my ships go out 177 

If any consolation be H. L. hildreth. 120 

If I could only surely know D. 225 

If I were told that I must die to-morrow.. .Susan coolidge. 85 

If I should die to-night 99 

In a valley centuries ago 93 

In years long past, I said, " If God shall give " 57 

In " pastures green ? " Not always ; sometimes He 121 

In silence of the middle night GEO. w. bethune, d.d. 97 

Is this the peace of God, this strange, sweet calm ? 

FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL, 79 

It is not heavy, agonizing woe 138 

It is Thy will, my Lord, my God 73 

" Jesus, I wait ! " Last words breathed soft and low 

SARAH DOUDNEY. 189 

Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all Joseph barney. 264 

Jesus, help conquer ! 89 

" Keep me from falling ! " F. A. L. 234 

Let thy gold be cast in the furnace 184 

" Let us pass over ! " We were far astray 126 

Like Him, whilst friends and lovers slept 

M. BERTHAM EDWARDS. II7 

Long did I toil, and knew no earthly rest 6i 

Lord, I had planned to do Thee service true 

CAROLINE M. NOEL. 215 

Lord, I have shut my door 14° 

Lord, I desire to live as one c. l. s. 246 

'' Lord, I will follow Thee," I said margaret j. preston. 82 

Lord, it is Thou ! and I can walk miss, a, l. waring. 67 

Lord, a whole long day of pain 213 

Lord, open the door, for I falter 273 

Made for Thyself, O God ! 171 



286 



INDEX TO FIRST LINES. 



Master, unto Thy feet my gifts I bring 

MRS. MARGARET E. SANGSTER. I42 

Men send their ships, the eager things 156 

Mine eyes shall see Thee, O my Friend, my Sov'reign.c. L. s. 252 

Mother, I see you witji your nursery light h. h. 65 

My Father, can I learn so hard a task ? e. j. A. 54 

My Father ! God of life and light M. L. b. 191 

My God, it is not fretfulness 157 

My sins have taken such an hold on me 269 

My spirit longs for Thee j. byrom. 54 

My silence and my solitude C. M. n. 244 

My will, dear Lord, from Thine doth run 88 

Never, my heart, wilt thou grow old !..mrs. louisa j. hall. 179 

" Not clear, nor dark," not rain nor shine 141 

Not w^iw, my child, — a little more rough tossing c. P. 218 

Not from the flowers of earth 72 

Not worthy, Lord, to gather up the crumbs 

REV. EDWARD M. BICKERSTETH. 172 

Now while Thy hand is on me, O my God 44 



O HEART, that sad and weary 19S 

O Jesus, I have promised samuel reav. 262 

O Jesus, Merciful ! bend down C M. n. 251 

O Lamb of God, I know that Thou art here a. s. 250 

" O Lord, my God ! " I oft have said 129 

O lead me on ; the way is dark without Thee 

rev. h. b. wardwell. 231 

O to be nothing — nothing ! 106 

O meditation sweet that makes. . .Harriet m'ewen kimball. 52 

O trifling task so often done Elizabeth akeks allen. 180 

O'er all the world the church spire rocks. rev. wm. m. baker. 178 

Oh ! come to the bedside in silence rachael g. alsop. 46 

Oh, linger sweet to-day : 105 

Oh, weary in the morning 205 

On the dusky shores of evening, stretched in shining peace it 

lies 30 



INDEX TO FIRST LINES. 287 

One of the sweet old chapters 40 

Only to-day ! dark looms to-morrow. ...MRS. m. e. c. bates. 238 

Pale star, if star thou be, that art 133 

" Pray without ceasing," says the zealous Paul 87 

Serene I lie in Jesus' hands s. T. w. 242 

Six years have faded since she went away 

REV. J, W. CHADWICK. Il8 

So grant us, Lord, our race to run 272 

" So ! " — through storms and darkness jennie Harrison. 25 

Some time, when all life's lessons have been learned 229 

Sorrow, and strife, and pain Sarah doudney. 227 

Take this maxim home to your heart 145 

Take the praise we bring Thee, Lord 98 

Teach me to live ! 'Tis easier far to die 216 

Ten thousand times ten thousand sung 235 

The hawthorn hedge that keeps us from intruding 

HUGH MACMILLAN. l68 

The vision fades away.. h. l. l. 149 

The thorn is very sharp, O righteous Master 

SIMEON tucker CLARK. 1 15 

The fretted waters of the bay 95 

The Master's voice was sweet 77 

" The loved and lost ! " v^^hy do we call them lost 35 

The twilight falls, the night is near 33 

The winds are raging o'er the upper ocean 

HARRIET BEECHER STOVVE. 24 

The way seems dark about me ; overhead 182 

The land beyond the sea ! 21 

The day is Thine 14 

There came an angel to me in disguise . . .mary e. atkinson. 239 

There is a secret place of rest 204 

Th ere are days of deepest sorrow 75 

Therefore, our Heavenly Father M. R. j. 262 

They are gathering homeward from every land 42 



288 INDEX TO FIRST LINES. 



Thou sayest, " Take up thy cross " . . .francis t, palgrave. 151 

Thou in whose garden I have grown apace 101 

Thy way, not mine, O Lord horatius bonar, d.d. 260 

'Tis all the same to me. prof. thos. c. upham. 29 

'Tis late — in my lone chamber '' marion harland." 49 

To live and not to die. 163 

Touched with the feeling of our need ! 153 

Tossing at night upon a stormy sea 58 

'Twill not be long — this weary commotion 70 

Under the shadow of Thy wings, my Father R. A. R. 223 

Up to the fair myrrh mountain horatius bonar, d.d. 154 

Upon the shore iii 

Upon my lips she laid her touch divine 12 

" Watch ! for ye know not the hour " 

SOPHIE E. C. DOWNING. 68 

We sit alone in the stillness 164 

We sometimes think that had our lot been cast 233 

Weary, half weary of the work of life.DiN.A.H MULOCH craik. 159 

What though before me it is dark 242 

What Is it like— that other shore ?. . .Marianne farningham. 47 

What then ? Why then another pilgrim song 34 

What shall Thine " afterward " be, O Lord M.R.J. 222 

Whate'er God wills, let that be done 158 

When the world is brightest R. R. CHOPE, 259 

When across the heart deep waves of sorrow 220 

When in deep silence my expectant heart francis cole. 113 

When the rich gold and purple of Life's sunset 51 

When the day of toil is done c. C scholefield. 268 

Why press we so against the door that Fate. Caroline north. 245 

Why walk in darkness ? Has the clear light vanished 

h. bon.vr. 143 

With what clear guile of gracious love enticed io3 

Yea, enter in, Thou gracious Guest 275 



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